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Senator Bala Ibn Na'Allah Withdraws From Kebbi South APC Senatorial Primaries

JUST IN: Gbenga Daniel Pulls Out Of APC Senate Race, Asks Supporters To Boycott Primaries

BREAKING: Hon. Olusola Steve Fatoba Emerges Victorious in APC House of Representatives Primary Election for Ado/Irepodun-Ifelodun Federal Constituency, Ekiti State — Secures Re-Election Ticket Ahead of the 2027 General Elections for the Third Consecutive Time. The victory marks another major political milestone for Hon. Olusola Steve Fatoba, reaffirming the confidence and support of party delegates and constituents in his leadership and representation.

APC House of Representatives Primary: Akpanke Emerges Winner in Bekwarra/Obudu/Obanliku Federal Constituency The All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election for the Bekwarra/Obudu/Obanliku Federal Constituency in Cross River State has ended with Hon. Peter A. Akpanke emerging victorious after polling the highest number of votes across the three local government areas. According to the official local government collation forms and results made available to newsmen, a total of 18,921 APC members registered for the primary election conducted across Bekwarra, Obudu and Obanliku Local Government Areas of Cross River State. Out of the registered members, 16,564 party delegates and members participated in the exercise as valid votes cast, while no void vote was recorded during the primary election. The breakdown of votes scored by the aspirants is as follows: Hon. Theresa Akwaji Ushie — 101 votes Hon. Peter A. Akpanke — 14,252 votes Hon. Martin Orim — 1,572 votes Anthonia A. Ally — 104 votes Dr. Vincent A. Ushie — 270 votes Dr. Godwin A. Agbor — 265 votes Following the collation of results from the three local government areas, Hon. Peter A. Akpanke was officially declared winner of the APC House of Representatives primary election for the Bekwarra/Obudu/Obanliku Federal Constituency. The Obanliku Local Government collation result indicated that Hon. Peter A. Akpanke secured a commanding lead with 4,749 votes, while in Obudu Local Government Area he polled 4,886 votes. In Bekwarra Local Government Area, the APC aspirant further consolidated his dominance with 4,617 votes. Party officials described the primary election as peaceful, transparent and credible, noting that the outcome reflected the collective will of party delegates across the constituency. Supporters and political stakeholders who witnessed the exercise expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the primary and commended party officials for ensuring a smooth collation process. The primary election was conducted under the supervision of APC electoral officials, with the signed collation documents dated May 16, 2026.

Politics is different from social media influencing- socialite Chief Priest Cuban laments after scoring just 14 votes at the recently concluded primaries in Imo State

The direct primary system reminds some of us of the open ballot system of the 1970s and 1980s

“The defendants need to throw some light on some of the allegations made against them in the interest of justice and fair hearing,” the judge ruled. Suswam, while testifying in his own defence, denied all allegations of wrongdoing and insisted that he never instructed Umar to convert money on his behalf. “At no time did I instruct him to collect the said amount, convert it and give it back to me as alleged in the charge,” he told the court. The former governor described himself as “a lawyer by training, a politician by choice and a businessman by necessity,” maintaining that his years in public office were blemish-free. He also stated that aside from his official earnings as governor, he had legitimate income from farming, rice milling and cattle rearing. Oklobia, in his own defence, urged the court to discharge him, insisting that whatever actions he took were based on directives from the former governor. Following the conclusion of the defence, the court adjourned for final written addresses. For anti-corruption observers and many residents of Benue State, the case represents one of Nigeria’s longest-running corruption prosecutions involving a former governor, with expectations now high that the judicial process may finally reach a conclusion after 11 years of legal twists and delays.

Suswam’s N3.1bn money laundering trial enters final phase after 11 years The long-running N3.1 billion money laundering trial involving former Benue State governor, Gabriel Suswam, and his former Commissioner for Finance, Omadachi Oklobia, has entered its final phase, with a Federal High Court in Abuja fixing May 29, 2026, for the adoption of final written addresses. The case, instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, has lingered for over a decade, traversing multiple judges, legal objections and procedural setbacks since the defendants were first arraigned in 2015. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, is expected to hear final submissions from both the prosecution and defence ahead of judgment in the high-profile trial centred on alleged laundering of proceeds from the sale of Benue State government shares in Dangote Cement Plc. The anti-graft agency alleged that the N3.1 billion represented proceeds from shares owned by the Benue State Government through the Benue Investment and Property Company Limited and sold via Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited. Suswam, who governed Benue State between 2007 and 2015, alongside Oklobia, was first arraigned in November 2015 before Justice Ahmed Mohammed on allegations bordering on diversion of public funds. In an amended charge filed in 2020, the EFCC accused Oklobia of carrying out cash transactions amounting to N578 million in four tranches between December 2014 and January 2015, in excess of limits permitted under Nigeria’s money laundering laws. The matter suffered repeated delays over the years. Justice Ahmed Mohammed initially withdrew from the case in June 2016 following reports alleging compromise. Although he later resumed hearing the matter after intervention by parties in the suit, he again recused himself in 2019 after renewed allegations surfaced in media reports. The case was subsequently reassigned to Justice Okon Abang before the Court of Appeal ordered that the matter be returned to Justice Mohammed. Following Mohammed’s elevation to the appellate court in 2023, the case was eventually reassigned to Justice Peter Lifu. Fresh trial proceedings commenced before Justice Lifu on March 21, 2024, on an amended 11-count charge. To establish its case, the EFCC called nine witnesses, including officials of the Benue State Ministry of Finance, EFCC investigators, investment managers and a bureau de change operator. One of the central testimonies came from Abubakar Umar, a bureau de change operator and Chief Executive Officer of Fanffash Resources, who testified that he converted N3.1 billion allegedly transferred to him in tranches into 15.8 million US dollars for Suswam in 2014. Umar told the court that the transfers were allegedly made through a female proxy and that he delivered the dollar equivalent to Suswam at his residence in Maitama, Abuja, at an exchange rate of N197 to one dollar. He further testified that the transfers occurred in several tranches, beginning with N413 million in August 2014 and eventually totalling N3.1 billion. Another prosecution witness, Mustapha Yusuf Abubakar, an EFCC investigator, tendered documents linking the Benue Investment and Property Company to Elixir Securities Limited and Elixir Investment Partners Limited. The witness also alleged that Oklobia collected N350 million in two tranches and handed the money to the then Chief Security Officer to the governor. After the prosecution closed its case, the defence filed a no-case submission, arguing that the evidence presented was insufficient to warrant further trial. However, in a ruling delivered on July 23, 2025, Justice Lifu dismissed the application, holding that the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring the defendants to enter their defence.

Kebbi Senator Garba Maidoki Resigns From APC Amid Lingering Internal Crisis Senator Garba Musa Maidoki, representing Kebbi South Senatorial District, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing unresolved internal crises within the party as the reason for his decision. In a resignation letter dated May 14, 2026, and addressed to the APC Ward Chairman in Rafin Zuru Ward, Zuru Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Maidoki said the lingering disputes within the party had made his political aspirations “a source of concern.” The senator, who currently chairs the Senate Committee on Legislative Compliance and serves as Vice Chairman of the Committee on Information and National Orientation, thanked the party for the opportunity to serve under its platform. Maidoki was originally elected into the Senate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023 before later defecting to the APC during the wave of defections into the ruling party.

Buhari’s Son Yusuf Wins APC Reps Primary In Katsina With 5,849 Votes Yusuf Buhari, son of Nigeria’s late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election for the Sandamu/Daura/Mai’adua Federal Constituency seat in Katsina State. Yusuf Buhari secured a landslide victory in the primary, polling 5,849 votes to defeat other aspirants and clinch the party’s ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.

APC Primary: Akinlayo Debunks Links To Alleged Political Thugs Arrested In Ekiti A member of the House of Representatives, Davidson Akinlayo, has denied allegations linking him to suspected political thuggery ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election in Ekiti State, describing the claims as politically motivated attempts to damage his re-election bid. The controversy followed the arrest of 11 suspected political thugs by the Ekiti State Police Command at Onikoyi Hotel in Ikun Ekiti, where dangerous weapons were allegedly recovered. Police sources reportedly linked the suspects to the federal lawmaker, who represents Moba/Ilejemeje/Ido-Osi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Reacting to the allegations in Ado-Ekiti, Akinlayo insisted that only two of the arrested persons are known to him, identifying them as members of his media team. According to him, Boluwatife Ishola and Babatope Ibitola are media professionals without any criminal records, while the remaining suspects are neither from his constituency nor connected to his political campaign. “I only know two people in that group, my Head of Media and assistant media aide. They are well-known media professionals and have never been involved in any criminal activity,” he stated. The lawmaker further rejected claims that he sponsored armed individuals, arguing that the accusations lacked logic and were designed to tarnish his image ahead of the APC primary election. Akinlayo also maintained that he had been financially independent before venturing into politics, citing investments in gas, filling stations, and real estate, while stressing that his philanthropic activities had earned him support across Ekiti State. Addressing concerns over alleged intimidation and violence ahead of the primary, he accused political opponents of attempting to suppress voter participation and manipulate the electoral process. He called on security agencies, including the Police, DSS, and Civil Defence, to ensure adequate security presence across all wards during the exercise. “Let the Police, DSS, and Civil Defence be present at every ward. People should be allowed to vote freely without intimidation,” he said. The lawmaker also alleged that his opponent had failed to engage in grassroots campaigns and was instead relying on political influence to sway the process. He, however, expressed confidence in his popularity and urged supporters to participate actively in the primary election.

PRP Declares Readiness to Challenge Major Parties The South West National Vice Chairman of the People’s Redemption Party, Comrade Olajide Wolimoh, has declared that the party is prepared to emerge as a credible alternative to the dominant political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, urging artisans, youths, professionals, and community leaders to obtain nomination forms and actively participate in the electoral process. Speaking during the South West Regional Meeting of the PRP, Wolimoh described the gathering as a defining moment in the party’s renewed determination to reposition itself as a people-oriented platform committed to good governance, accountability, transparency, and social justice across the South West and Nigeria at large. He called on party members, aspirants, women, artisans, professionals, and grassroots stakeholders to unite and strengthen the party’s structures across wards, local governments, and states, stressing that electoral success would require sacrifice, discipline, funding, and collective commitment. According to him, the PRP remains committed to policies centered on education, healthcare, agriculture, industrialisation, youth empowerment, women inclusion, and infrastructural development, while also appealing to the media to provide the party with fair and adequate coverage ahead of the 2027 elections.

Abuja Building Collapse: 4 Dead, 16 Rescued As Emergency Teams Battle To Save Victims A three-storey building under construction collapsed on Saturday morning in the Gudu area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, trapping dozens of persons beneath the debris and triggering a massive emergency rescue operation by federal and FCT agencies. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the incident occurred around 9:45 a.m., prompting the immediate deployment of rescue teams from NEMA Abuja Operations Office, Emergency Response Bay, Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, NSCDC, Nigeria Police Force, FRSC and FEMA. As of the latest update, sixteen casualties had been evacuated to Asokoro General Hospital, while four persons were confirmed dead. NEMA said rescue and search operations were still ongoing at the scene as at the time of filing this reports

@NigeriaStories @IdowuMidas44495 Full story here : x.com/i/status/20555…

JUST IN: The Senator representing Borno Central, Kaka Lawan, has disbursed one hundred and thirty-five million, six hundred and fifty thousand naira (₦135,650,000) in cash to All Progressives Congress executives in his constituency ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration

Social Media User Jailed 2 Years Over False Death Claim About Adekunle Gold and Simi’s Daughter A social media user identified as Samuel Adeboye Adeyeye, popularly known as @Swanky0001 has reportedly been sentenced to two years imprisonment after pleading guilty to spreading false information online about the daughter of Nigerian music stars Adekunle Gold and Simi. The convict had falsely claimed in a viral post that the couple’s six-year-old daughter, Deja, died from a rare illness known as Canavan disease. The court was said to have found him guilty after he admitted to deliberately spreading the misinformation with malicious intent. The development has renewed conversations around defamation, cyberbullying, and misinformation on social media, especially involving celebrities and public figures. Reports also linked the same user to several controversial false claims involving personalities such as Ayra Starr, Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Olamide, and Bimbo Ademoye. The case comes amid increasing legal actions by Nigerian celebrities against online defamation and unverified allegations circulated on social media platforms

APC Shifts Zamfara National Assembly Primaries, Releases Fresh Election Timetable The All Progressives Congress has announced a rescheduling of its National Assembly primary elections in Zamfara State ahead of the 2027 general elections, adjusting the dates for the House of Representatives and Senate contests. According to a statement issued in Abuja on May 16, 2026, by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the House of Representatives primaries will now hold on Monday, May 18, while the Senate primaries are scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Under the revised timetable, the State House of Assembly primaries will hold on Wednesday, May 20, governorship primaries on Thursday, May 21, while the presidential primary remains fixed for Saturday, May 23, 2026. The party also released dates for appeals arising from the primaries, beginning with House of Representatives appeals on May 19 and governorship appeals on May 22.

“No Going Back” — Tinubu Government Scraps Foreign Scholarship Scheme, Redirects Billions to Nigerian Universities The Federal Government under President Bola Tinubu has firmly maintained that there will be no reversal of its decision to discontinue the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarship programme, ending decades of government-sponsored foreign studies for Nigerian students. Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, described the scheme as financially wasteful and vulnerable to widespread abuse, insisting that courses previously funded abroad are now available in Nigerian institutions. The BEA programme, which covered studies in countries including China, Russia, Morocco, Egypt, and Serbia, had seen its annual budget rise from ₦3.2 billion in 2022 to about ₦8 billion in 2025. However, the government said investigations uncovered major irregularities, including cases where beneficiaries allegedly studied courses already available in Nigeria while simultaneously enrolled in local universities. Alausa cited a controversial request seeking ₦650 million to sponsor just 60 students to Morocco for programmes such as psychology, sociology, and even English studies. Despite ending new awards, the Federal Government said it remains committed to settling outstanding obligations owed to existing scholars. According to Alausa, over ₦4 billion has already been released out of an ₦8 billion package approved to clear pending payments for more than 1,200 affected students. The administration said funds previously allocated to BEA would now be redirected toward strengthening local tertiary education and expanding domestic scholarship opportunities.

APC Primaries: Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan Releases ₦135.6m Sallah Cash To Party Executives Across Borno Central Ahead of the intensifying 2027 primary elections within the All Progressives Congress, Kaka Shehu Lawan has released ₦135.65 million as Sallah support for party executives across Borno Central Senatorial District. The cash distribution, according to sources within the senator’s political structure, will cover grassroots APC officials and ward executives across Maiduguri, Jere, Konduga, Mafa, Bama, Ngala, Kala/Balge and Dikwa local government areas. The gesture comes as political consultations and internal alignments continue to intensify ahead of the APC primaries nationwide. Supporters of the senator described the intervention as part of efforts to appreciate party loyalists for their commitment and continued support for the APC structure in Borno Central. However, the development is already drawing attention within political circles as parties and aspirants increase mobilisation efforts ahead of the ruling party’s internal contests.