The Labour Party, LP factional leadership led by Julius Abure says all its tickets ahead of the 2027 general election are open to qualified Nigerians.

Abure made the announcement after a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Monday.

“NEC in session also reviewed the decision of the National Convention to reserve its Presidential and Governorship tickets for Peter Gregory Obi and Alex Otti respectively,” a viral communique.

“Consequently, all tickets of the party from the Presidency to the House of Assemblies are open to all qualified Nigerians,” he declared.

Abure’s statement comes amid the controversy that trailed the recent stakeholders meeting convened by the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, where a former minister of finance Nenadi Usman was announced as caretaker chairperson of the party.

Main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed anger at former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for describing the party as dead.

On Saturday, during the inauguration of the renovated party office of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Katsina State, Kwankwaso had said he and his followers left the PDP because “it is dead”.

He added: “I wish to remind you that PDP is dead because we left the party. Since they have gone out of the line, we decided to check out.”

In a WhatsApp message yesterday in Abuja in response to reporters’ questions, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said: “Our reaction to the statement credited to Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso is that he is very inconsequential in the Nigerian national politics today, judging from the fact that he is struggling to lead a party called NNPP which is also struggling to control only one state.

“It is unfathomable to imagine that a failed and inconsequential politician with only one state would claim that a party that has 13 governors, many senators, many members of the House of Representatives, control of several states’ House of Assembly and a strong presence in all the local government areas and wards across the country is dead.

“More disturbing is that Senator Kwankwaso has exhibited extreme selfishness and self-centeredness, which shows that he is not a leader.

“It is unfortunate that he is up to this at this time when the PDP and patriotic Nigerians are speaking out against the excruciating hardship in the country…

“At this time, Nigerians, including in Senator Kwankwaso’s home state, Kano, are dying of hunger and starvation.

“At a time when over 150 million Nigerians have sunk deeper into poverty; when millions of Nigerians are daily losing their means of livelihood; at a time when the naira has fallen to over N1,600 to a dollar with over 34 per cent inflation rate; in the wake of brutal increase in the price of petrol to over N1,200 in various parts of the country, the only thing that occupies Senator Kwankwaso’s mind is his self-centered pipe dream of becoming President.

“It is very unfortunate. So, the PDP does not intend to join issues with him on such display of self-centeredness and insensitivity.”

“In any event, whatever political relevance Senator Kwankwaso believes he has achieved, he did so only when he was in the PDP.”

The Imo State Independent Electoral Commission, ISIEC, has denied a media report alleging that the Commission has published names of candidates of various political parties in the state ahead of the September 21 LGA exercise.

Responding to the report, the State Chairman of the Commission, Charles Ejiogu, in a press statement informed various political parties and members of the public to disregard the report stating that it is misleading and capable of disrupting the plans of the Commission in ensuring transparency during and after the exercise.

“The attention of ISIEC has been drawn to the news making the rounds to the effect that the Commission had released the names of candidates in the upcoming local government council elections.

This piece of information, in its entirety, is both misleading and mischievous” the release stated

Ejiogu stated that in compliance with the constitution establishing the Commission as enunciated in the guidelines and other extant rules and regulations connected thereto, the Commission will only release a list of candidates of all registered political parties after a mandatory validation of personal details of all candidates as required by the law.

Following the development, the ISIEC boss has directed all the participating political parties, their candidates and the general public to disregard the rumour which he described as a blatant falsehood with outright ignominy.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has appointed 28 Senior Special Assistants and 316 Special Assistants.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

He said the appointments were spread across the 18 Local Government Areas, 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and 203 Wards in the state.

“In continuation of efforts to enhance governance and service delivery to the people of the State, the Governor of Ondo State, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has approved the appointment of new Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) and Special Assistants (SAs),” the statement read.

“While congratulating the new appointees, the Governor urged them to bring to bear their wealth of experience and dedicate themselves to serving the people of the State.”

The appointment comes two months to the Ondo State governorship election where Aiyedatiwa is seeking a fresh term in office.

Aiyedatiwa became governor following the death of Rotimi Akeredolu in Germany on December 27, 2023.

The new appointees are:

SENIOR SPECIAL ASSISTANTS (SSAs)

1 HON. OMOTAYO ABIDAKUN

2 HON AKINTOYE ALBERT

3 AKINDELE ADENIYI

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4 HON FOLAWE SIPASI

5 MICHEAL BOLODEOKU

6 HON ISIAKA ELEGBERUNIBON

7 CHIEF LADI TENABE

8 BARR FOLAJIMI OLASEHINDE VICENTE

9 BAR CLEMENT KOLAPO OJO

10 HON SOLA OLUYEDE

11 SOLOMON ELEFOLA

12 BARR. AJIMOTOKIN OLUSEGUN

13 EWATOMILOLA EMIOLA

14 AKINROTOYE OLAFUSI KEHINDE

15 HON OLAMIGOKE BUSAYO FRANCIS

16 ADESEMOYE ADEDAPO OLASEINDE

17 MRS MORENIKEJI ALAGA

18 ALEX OLADIMEJI

19 OLOWUJUNI SHEDRACK

20 NICHOLAS AKINBIOLA

21 HON. SOLOMON ADEJARE ADEYEFA

22 OLUYEMI FASIPE

23 BAYO OLATUNJI SEGEDE

24 PHILEMON EBIESUWA

25 ABIDEMI IWAJOMO

26 GBAMILA TAIWO

27 AKIN OMOJUWA

28 HON DARIJIMI LOGO

SPECIAL ASSISTANTS (SAs)

1 SOLA NERI

2 HON OLANIYI ENI-OLOTU

3 ADEOLU IWAKUN

4 HON MAKINDE OLANREWAJU

5 OMOTAYO VINCENT OLIBAMOYO

6 HON BUNMI OLAWOYE

7 MRS RONKE TASHILANI

8 HON IDEBI MICHAEL

9 ALHAJA RAFAT AHMED

10 HON IDEBI MICHAEL

11 HON NAJEEM ADEGBOYE

12 MR FADOJU SUNDAY OLANIYI

13 DR ADEMOLA ADEGBOYE

14 ALIU OLALEKAN

15 ROBERT AKINKUNMI

16 FELIX ESAN

17 SOLA ADEGBOLA

18 TOYIN BENSON

19 OLORUNTOBA MICHAEL SUNKANMI

20 BOSEDE SAMA

21 HON SHOLA ALAJO

22 RABIU OLUWASEGUN KAYODE

23 ABEGUNDE TAYO

24 OMOLAYO TOPE

25 OLASUNKANMI AKINROGBE

26 OLADIMEJI OLANREWAJU

27 OLABODE ANIMASAHUN

28 MRS OLAYINKA O. ANUNOBI

29 MRS FAMUSIWA ODUNAYO

30 MR WALE THOMAS

31 MR JIMOH YINUS

32 MRS FUNKE ARUNA

33 TOLU ILORI OGUNBADEJO

34 OLALEYE OLADIMEJI AJEGUNMA

35 MAXWELL OMOSUWA

36 AZEEZ OLATUNDE OLAYINKA

37 OLADIMEJI OKEYEMI OLUWAKEMI

38 IJASAN WILLSON OLARINDE

39 OMOLARA AKINROGBE

40 OLABISI BALOGUN

41 OROFIN OGOOLUWA

42 SIJU OMONOJO

43 RT. HON DAISI ODOGUN

44 DR. OMOTOSHO SALIU ADEWOLE

45 MRS. ADEJORE LYDIA

46 ELIJAH AKINLOYE BALOGUN

47 DAVID GODSPOWER ILAYE

48 HON CENSUS OGBARO

49 TOPE GLORY MESHACK

50 HON BUNMI OSABIYA

51 TUNDE OWANIKI

52 JUSTINA MAFOLABOMI

53 JOHN IFEOLUWA AWODEYI

54 SALIU MUMUNI

55 OSENI MUYIDEEN

56 AIDI FATAI

57 ROTIMI EKUNDAYO

58 AGUDA SUNDAY

59 LATEEF BALOGUN

60 UARUDEEN ABDULASIS

61 FOLASHADE BALOGUN

62 OGUNMODEDE MAGARET ATINUKE

63 SALIU ADEYEMI

64 RAZAK TAIWO IBILOYE

65 LATEEF AHMED

66 OLUGBENGA AJAYI

67 MRS YINKA OGUNLEYE

68 FAUSATBALOGUN

69 HON ADE PELEMO

70 ROTIMI KAREEM

71 OGUNGBEMI FASANSI KEHINDE

72 ENAS MOHAMMED

73 ADEOLA R. FYNCH

74 OLATUNBOSUN OGUNLEYE

75 OLAGUNJU OLASEHINDE

76 ALHAJA F. I. GIDADO

77 ABIODUN KIKIOWO

78 HON JULIUS MESHE

79 PRINCESS OREOLUWA AGBAYEWA

80 LAWRENCE OWOLANKE

81 ANTHONY MAYOWA OGUNMODEDE

82 ALADE MARGRET ABIOLA

83 AKOSILE OYENIYI OYEYINKA

84 MR AMIMI JULIUS FOLUSO

85 DAPO ADEPOJU

86 AKINTOYE OLATUNJI

87 OLAJIDE OLABISI-OJO

88 MR FALEYE SUNDAY

89 EWAJANE SAMSON KAYODE

90 TITI OPARINDE

91 MR JIMOH TOSIN

92 MR LATEEF BALOGUN

93 MUYIWA ADEBAYO

94 REV TAYO ABISOLA

95 OJO AJAYI

96 OLAWALE EDDO

97 PAUL ADENIYI

98 OLAYINKA JOHNSON MODUPE

99 HON DELE FAGORIOLA

100 YEMISI ALADESAYE

101 SODIQ WILLIAMS

102 HON IDOWU AKINSOLA

103 TUYI FATUKASI

104 AYODELE ADEWOLE

105 AJULO OLAWALE

106 MR OMOSEKE OLAWALE

107 OMOTUNMISE TOKUNBO

108 MICHEAL AFOLABI

109 MRS OBAYA

110 TOPE ALUKO

111 DAMILOLA ABBEY

112 ADEFISOYE HAMMED

113 MR ADEUTI OLUMIDE

114 MR OLAWOLE SUNDAY

115 HON HENRY OLATUJA

116 OLONIMOYO OLUBUNMI

117 MR ADEGUNLOYE FIOYE

118 AKINYO TOBI

119 HON BIYI AYANNOLA

120 AKINIOYE LANRE

121 JOSIAH ADEWOLE

122 HON OMOKINSUN SUNDAY

123 AKINDE ABIMBOLA SILAS

124 ENIOLA ISAAC

125 OLANEGAN OLADIMEJI

126 ADEREMI OYEWOLE

127 ENGR AKIN AKINBAMIDO

128 PASTOR MARCUS ADEOTI

129 MR ANDREW ADENODI

130 JIMOH IBRAHIM

131 DR ANTHONY ENIOLA

132 COMRADE OMOTAYO

133 HON FATAI OLUGUNA

134 OMOLERE AKINRINMADE

135 MRS MOPELOLA DINYO

136 MRS RALIAT ADENIKE OLAWOYE

137 JOHNSON OLAWOLE AKINLOSOTU

138 ADEBOYE TAOFEEK EWENLA

139 ADEALA ADEMULEGUN

140 ABIOLA FAYEHUN

141 MR FOLAMI RICHARD AKINTEWE

142 CHIEF MRS GRACE AKINRIBIDE

143 TAOFEEK AZEEZ

144 HON IFEOLU LASAN

145 MR BANKOLE ADEGBULUGBE

146 HABIB YEKINI

147 WALE AYEJUNI

148 PIPE IKOTUN

149 AKINTUNDE JOHN FOLAJIMI

150 FLORENCE OLAWOYE

151 OYETUNDE MUKAILA AKEREKORO

152 MRS BOLAJOKO OYEDELE

153 ALHAJI RASHEED OLAWOYE

154 AGBOOLA LEPE

155 ALABA ORIRETAN

156 HON AKINSUNMI DAYO

157 HON AROWOLO MOSES ILEMOBADE

158 MR. OLUFEMI BABATUNDE

159 MR ADEYEMI AREMU

160 MRS TOLA ADEYEMI

161 ENGR JIMI AKINRINMADE

162 SOLA AKINMEJIWA

163 MR OLALEKAN OLAYINKA

164 MR ADEGEYE KEHINDE PAUL

165 SALAUDEEN WAHEED

166 TOPE AKINNEYE

167 OLAWUNMI SEYI

168 HON WALE AKINKUOTU

169 JOSEPH KOKUMO

170 HON OBANLA KEHINDE SAMUEL

171 CHIEF MRS YEMI AJONIBODE

172 CHIEF MALOMO BAYODE OJO

173 HON FAFUNMILADE TILEEWA

174 SHABA BABATUNDE

175 HON AZEEZ AWE ELI

176 BAWA AKINSANYA

177 OLAYODE EMMAN JAYEOLA

178 PRINCESS FOLAKEMI OGUNSILE

180 MR ALU OJO EMMANUEL

181 BODE AWE

182 SEIDU FATAI OYEWOLE

183 OLORUNFEMI CHRISTOPHER

184 UMAR MUSLIU BOBOYE

185 AKEJU AGUNLOYE

186 AGBI STEPHEN OMOBAMIDELE

187 OLUMIDE AWOLUMATE

188 MRS AIYEGBUSI BRIDGET ADUNNI

189 OLOWOMUKE OMONIYI

190 HON AYENIYI OLAYEYE

191 HON BORIRE SUNDAY SOLA

192 SUNDAY OTEKAYE

193 OYEPITAN SUNDAY

194 FEMI OLADOKUN

195 AYETIRAN OLAJIDE PETER

196 ODOLE VICTOR

197 ADEBAYO AUGUSTINE

198 FEMI JOHNSON

199 IKUYINMINU IBIKUNLE

200 IKULALA SEUN

201 MORAYO JOSEPHINE ITIOLU

202 ADETARAMI OLOWOLAFE

203 BIDEMI ABAYAGBON

204 SEGUN LEMAN

205 ANDREW IDOWU EDEMA

206 MRS OLAWUNMI MEDAHUNSI

207 KUNLE OROKOTAN

208 PRINCESS AGBEKE CECILIA OROJO

209 MR OMOYELE ABRAHAM

210 HON (CHIEF) RAPHAEL ABEJOYE

211 RT. HON DOYE OLAJIDE

212 HON IKUPOLUYI AJINDE

213 MR FAMOUS GUNTEI

214 COMRADE TIEWEI EBIMOTIMI AKINS

215 HON BARR CORPORAL E. NANAOPIRI

216 BARR EDDY KPILIBOH

217 COM.JAPHET EREGHA

218 HON IJI WARERE

219 OMOMOFE KOLEDOYE

220 BARR LEKAN OBOLO

221 BLESSING MEFUN

222 ALORE OMOSUYI

223 BARR AKOJE TOPIC

224 PRINCESS YEMISI IJI AYEOLA

225 WILLIAMS EBI

226 TIMI SOBUJON

227 TAYO KUPOLUYI

228 MR AWENE ODIGHIMIYENTIMI

229 BARR BISI AYENI

230 AJOBIEWE DAVID

231 OTERUKU SUNDAY

232 AROGUNDADE SEGUN

233 OMOLORUN CHRIS

234 BIOLA BALOGUN

235 SOLOMON OGUNNIYI

236 BARR. PETER ALABA OJO

237 OMOBA ADEDAPO ABIOLA

238 OLANIKE ADAMS

239 OLADOTUN ADESIDA

240 GIDEON OMOJOLA

241 OGUNLEYE JOSHUA

242 MRS (CHIEF) BUKUNMI AKEJU

243 MR ADEBAYO CYRIL

244 HON GBOGI EMMANUEL

245 AYODELE ADEYEMI

246 HON JEROME ABIODUN

247 OLUMIDE AKOMOLAFE

248 MRS YEMI AKEJU

249 BIOLA CHRISTIANA IJIMAKINWA

250 MRS. OYINKANSOLA WILLIAMS AROLOYE

251 MR. SUNDAY OLALUBI

252 MR FALADE AYODELE

253 CHIEF ABULOYE BANJI

254 BARR ASANI BAKARE

255 DARE AJAYI

260 MR KUNLE ADU

261 MR. TUNDE ADEGBONMIRE

262 MR. AYODEJI ORIKOGBO

263 MR. GBENGA ADU

264 ADEGUNLEHIN JOSHUA

265 IFEDAYO AYODELE FEMI

266 AANU OBEBE

267 AKOSILE ESTHER

268 DR. AKINBOLADE OMOSUWA

269 CHIEF ALADEKUGBE SOLA

270 HON. ADEBUSOYE JOSHUA .O

271 OLUWAROTIMI ILUYEMI

272 AYODELE JOHNSON

273 SAYO OGUNMADE

274 CHIEF OLATUNJI JOHN

275 SEGUN OMOYOFUNMI

276 NELSON MAFO

277 TALE ADEBAWO

278 SINA AKINMADE

279 SUNDAY AROGBO

280 YETUNDE ADEFUWA

281 DAVID OBAJULAYE

282 LAWSON AKINTOKUN

283 EVANG OLADOKU MOYEYE

284 BOSE OLOWODARA

285 EGBOWON BAYO

286 DR BELLO TITUS ABIODUN

287 OLATINPO OLANIYI OLUKAYODE

288 AMINU VINCENT

289 HON FEMI AGBEDE

290 MR GABRIEL ENIALOLA AYIMORO

291 MR. TEMITOPE SHABA

292 ELDER ADEGBOLA RUFUS

293 MR GBODE OJO

294 MRS OJULAYO IRETI IDEHEN

295 HON AJAYI JOHNSON ADEDAYO

296 MRS IRETI IDEHEN

297 TIMOTHY KOREDE

298 AREMO CHRISTOPHER

299 DESMOND KOLAWOLE

300 BUSAYO OGUNYEMI

301 HON. JEROME OLORUNYOLEMI AKINLOYE

302 MR. TOYIN ADEPOJU

303 FADARE AKINTOMIWA BABTUNDE

304 HON ADENUGBA A. LAWRENCE

305 HON. FADAMITAN SINA KUNLE

306 KEHINDE OMOYELE

307 PASTOR IGE SUNDAY ADETOYE

308 CHARLES ADEDEJI

309 KEHINDE TAIWO

310 FADARE AKINTOMIWA BABATUNDE

311 AKINBOYEDE BOSE

312 ADEDINNNI MICHEAL OLUWATOSIN

313 KOLA DAVIS

314 MRS AKINMUSOLA ELIZABERTH BOSEDE

315 THICK DEBO OBAZUAYE

316 EMMANUEL GBOTEMI IGIOWO

Former Minority Leader of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu says the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon.Benjamin Kalu has been vindicated over his viral interview where he called on Governor Alex Otti to join the All Progressives Congress.

Honourable Chukwu in an interview with Newsmen, disclosed that the comment by Labour Party Governorship Candidate in 2023 election in Lagos, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour that his party would takeover Lagos State in 2027 from the ruling APC is not different from Kalu’s position that APC will clinch the seat of power in Abia State in next election.

Recall that Rhodes-Vivour on the sidelines of Labour Party’s extended stakeholders meeting in Umuahia said the opposition party is now positioned to end the grip on Nigeria’s Commercial capital of Lagos by the APC.

“LP is now well structured, not just to win but to take power in 2027. What we have come to do here in Umuahia is to bring everybody on the same page. We are set for new victories in 2027.

“I believe Labour Party will win Lagos State more convincingly in 2027. Since after the 2023 elections, work has not stopped; we have not gone quiet. Every day, we get stronger and stronger. So, we are not just going to win but stand up and take power,” He affirmed.

Reacting to the statement, Hon Chukwu wondered why the deputy speaker is being villified by Labour Party Supporters for showing his desire to grow his party and have Abia State benefit fully from the Federal Government like other APC controlled states.

“One of the major characteristics of a good leader and a calculative politician is your ability to say first what people will or may want to say later when yours have trended with convincing and controversial comments not withstanding.

“RT. Hon. Benjamin Kalu is the man in the recent happenings of politics from South-East who have contributed the positive repositioning of the aged long agony of NDI IGBO. He is respectful and responsible yet does not fear to speak with boldness without fear or favour (mincing words) when the need rises.

Recently, he boldly stated that the labour party in Abia State will not win the 2027 governorship election and that his party APC will be the one to produce the next governor of Abia State. He further stated that he doesn’t know who that person will be…as his friend and brother, the current governor of Abia State, is doing well at the moment,” He disclosed.

The Former Bende North State Constituency Representative urged Labour Party stakeholders to eat the humble pie and apologise to the deputy speaker for taking his comments out of context.

“The former Lagos State governorship candidate who is now in labour party senator Rhodes Vivour made the same statement during the labour party stakeholders meeting in Abia State. He said, “Labour party will win the 2027 governorship election in Lagos State.” That they will win and take over power from the current party.

Now, my next question is, why haven’t these bought over E-rats started fooling themselves on social media with attacks to the former senator?

Does this mean that what I thought about the paid media group against Benkalu was actually true? Are they trying to demarket someone who has not made his intention of contesting the next election on governorship position known?

I think Ben has become a force that everyone wants to align with. If you can not criticize the Senator Rhodes, you have no justification to talk down on the people’s Deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.” He stated.

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has stepped down from his role with immediate effect.

In a statement issued by the Presidency on Saturday, Ngelale said he had submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, informing him of his plan to proceed on indefinite leave.

Ngelale added that he has stepped down as the Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen.

According to Ngelale, he stepped down from his role to deal with medical matters presently affecting his nuclear family.

The statement read, “On Friday, I submitted a memo to the Chief of Staff to the President informing my office that I am proceeding on an indefinite leave of absence to frontally deal with medical matters presently affecting my immediate nuclear family.

“While I fully appreciate that the ship of state waits for no man, this agonizing decision — entailing a pause of my functions as the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity and Official Spokesperson of the President, Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action, and Chairman, Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen — was taken after significant consultations with my family over the past several days as a vexatious medical situation has worsened at home.

“I look forward to returning to full-time national service when time, healing, and fate permit. I respectfully ask for some privacy for my family and me during this time.”

On August 1, 2023, Ngelale was appointed as the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity.

According to a statement from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the appointment took effect on July 31, 2023, and will terminate at the end of this administration unless otherwise decided by the President.

On May 19, 2024, Tinubu appointed Ngelale as the first Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Action. He was also appointed as the Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on Project Evergreen and Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Climate Action and Green Economic Solutions.

Ngelale was born on November 13, 1986, in Platteville, Wisconsin, United States, to a Nigerian father of Eleme origin in Rivers State, Precious Ngelale and a German-American mother, Diane Ngelale.

He is a Nigerian broadcast journalist and has served as a senior reporter and presenter at Africa Independent Television and Channels Television.

He previously served as the Senior Special Adviser on Public Affairs to President Muhammadu Buhari between 2019 and 2023 and was a co-principal spokesperson of the Bola Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council for the 2023 presidential election.