A fresh crisis is brewing in the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the conduct of local government primaries.

While the faction led by Chief Tony Okocha is making preparations for the primaries, another faction, headed by Chief Emeka Beke, on Thursday stormed the APC national secretariat in Abuja with some of his executives to submit a formal petition to the new national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, urging him to stop Okocha from conducting the exercise.

According to Daily Trust, the Rivers APC has long been engulfed in internal crisis, with both Okocha and Beke laying claim to the position of state chairman.

During the tenure of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje as national chairman, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) recognised Okocha as the state chairman.

However, following Ganduje’s recent exit, Beke is asking the new chairman, Yilwatda, to accord him recognition and mandate his executive to oversee the primaries, citing a court judgement in his favour.

Speaking to journalists after submitting the petition, Beke maintained that he remains the authentic chairman of the Rivers State APC, based on an earlier ruling by the Rivers State High Court.

“We are aware of the decision of the national leadership of the APC extending the tenure of all elected state executive committees to December 2025. We welcome that decision.

Advertisement

“We wish to respectfully bring to your notice the judgement of the High Court of Rivers State, Port Harcourt Division, delivered by Hon. Justice S.H. Aprioku, which affirmed the subsistence of the tenure of the Chief Emeka Beke-led executive committee of APC, Rivers State.

“There is also the judgement of Hon. Justice Obomanu of the High Court of Rivers State in Suit No. PHC/3859/CS/2024 – Okwu Joebrown Ndike & Ors. v. All Progressives Congress & Anor. – which invalidated the purported election of the Chief Tony Okocha-led executive committee.

“We are members of the state executive committee of the All Progressives Congress, Rivers State chapter, and write in that capacity,” he said.

However, APC National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, told Daily Trust that Okocha remains the authentic chairman of the party in Rivers.

In a WhatsApp message, Morka stated, “Tony Okocha is the Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of APC.”

Advertisement

A flurry of consultations and horse trading is underway in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following last week’s decision of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the south.

Some prominent members of the party are already reaching out to stakeholders to indicate their interest in the race, according to The Nation.

No fewer than six names are being speculated to be in the running. Party sources said more will join in the months ahead as the situation gets clearer.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan tops the list of those being tipped by some interests in the PDP.

Others are former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, presidential candidate of Labour Party in 2023 Mr. Peter Obi, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and the outgoing President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina.

Goodluck Jonathan

Party sources identified a northern state governor as one of the key promoters of the Jonathan for president project.

Advertisement

The governor had served as a minister under Jonathan and would not mind becoming the former president’s running mate. His calculation is said to be based on his belief that he himself would be in a good position to run for the presidency in 2031 if the Jonathan ticket prevails in the 2027 election.

But sources said the project may not fly on account of Section 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prevents anyone who has been sworn in twice as president from seeking election into the same office.

The Section stipulates thus: “A person who was sworn in as President to complete the term for which another person was elected as president shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.”

Two months ago, former first lady Patience Jonathan hinted that her husband would not be in the 2027 race.

She also openly pledged her family’s support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Bukola Saraki

Party members rooting for Saraki believe that he needs to be compensated for standing by the party and not following his friends like the immediate past Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi to the ADC.

Advertisement

They are of the belief that he is popular, having held his ground against the Buhari government during his time as the Senate President.

They also cite his very rich friends who would not mind funding him.

But those against him wonder which part of the country he would claim to belong to: North or South?

Their argument is where will his running mate come from if he picks the ticket? They also say that he is overrated and lacks a solid base for now because his state, Kwara, is under the control of APC.

Peter Obi

Some PDP leaders are trying to lure Peter Obi back to the party in the hope that he can help save it from total collapse following the recent gale of defections by many high profile members.

His name has come up because of his surprise performance in the last general election.

Advertisement

A founding member of the party, Prof. Jerry Gana, said in a television interview on Wednesday that Obi has what it takes to defeat any contender in the northern states if he contests on the PDP platform.

“I’m a researcher, and I research opinions. In the northern states, Peter Obi under the PDP will defeat any candidate, because our people are very fair‑minded,” Gana said.

Obi was a member of the PDP until he defected to Labour Party ahead of the 2023 elections.

He was the PDP vice presidential candidate in the 2019 election.

Obi had popped up at the recent movement of some opposition politicians to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja, sparking speculation that he was on his way out of the LP.

He has since denied the speculation, saying he remains a member of the Labour Party.

Some PDP members, however, do not trust the former Anambra State governor to keep his promise to do only one term if elected.

Advertisement

A source said: “It is easy to make a promise. We have seen that before.

Seyi Makinde

Supporters of Governor Makinde are of the view that he stands a good chance to face President Tinubu since he is from the same South West zone as the President.

Their calculation is that he will divide votes from the zone, thus giving the party some advantage.

One source said: “In the Southwest, there is only one loyal PDP governor. His Osun counterpart has already indicated support for Tinubu in 2027.

“Discussions are on, and if the ticket is zoned to the South or micro-zoned to the Southwest, the Oyo governor will be a major contender.”

Advertisement

An African Democratic Congress (ADC) member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide yesterday described the coalition group members who have taken over the affairs of the party as political marauders.

He vowed to team up with other ‘original’ members of the party to chase out such people.

Abejide (Yagba Federal Constituency in Kogi State) spoke to reporters in Abuja 24 hours after Nafiu Bala, a former National Deputy Chairman of ADC from Gombe State declared himself the party’s acting national chairman.

Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke who was reported to be on his way to the ADC yesterday denied any such move on his part.

“I’m an original member of ADC, not Coalition ADC, and I want to assure that we shall do all we can to chase out the political marauders that came from PDP, Labour Party, and part of the struggling APC into our party,” Abejide said.

He said any attempt to hijack the ADC by individuals with no historical ties to its founding would not stand.

He said: “When I was nursing the party, where were they? When they destroyed their parties, PDP and LP, we will not allow them to destroy ADC like that.”

Advertisement

He said those now laying claim to the leadership of the party entered through the window, bypassing the legitimate democratic processes and party structures.

Continuing, he said: “I have been watching their character since they claimed to have ADC, and it has become clear to me that they came to the party to hijack the structure, suppress the original members, and use the platform to achieve their aims and objectives.”

The lawmaker said that as the most senior member of the party’s National Executive Committee, he would not fold his arms and watch the party ‘stolen.’

“On this premise, we shall explore legal opinion on the way forward, and I may likely approach the court, as the highest member of the ADC NEC, to challenge the illegality of the so-called current National Working Committee,” Abejide said.

He reaffirmed his loyalty to the founding vision of the ADC, stressing that the party must remain true to its foundational principles and not be reduced to a platform for desperate political actors seeking shortcuts to power.

“I am proud that I am a member of the party and I am a strong reminder of the original beliefs—not irrational beliefs,” he stated.

Dr. Musa Isa Matara, who was the National Publicity Secretary of the party before he was supplanted, accused the coalition-led interim leadership of excluding original ADC members from recent national appointments.

Advertisement

“The coalition team came and appointed people as they liked, without considering the original members in their appointment list,” he told The Nation.

He said that although the Ralph Nwosu-led NEC had handed over the party leadership to Chief David Mark in the presence of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the action of the new leadership fell short of their public commitment to unity.

“Our expectation based on the speech made by David Mark was that he is going to carry all the party structure, all ancestry, without any segregation or bias,” he said.

He alleged that over 50 appointments were made into the new NEC without any inclusion of longstanding ADC members, saying, “none of our ADC members was appointed into positions. It means it’s a hijack.”

He said the ‘original’ members are behind Nafiu.

He added:“We will not allow them to come into our party and hijack the structure of the party without including our members.

“So we are forming a new faction ADC, which we have our leader as Nafiu Bala from Gombe, who was the Deputy national chairman, and is now stepping in as National Chairman of the party.”

Advertisement

He said their faction would be unveiled today.

Nafi’u Bala, who recently declared himself as the interim national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), had actually resigned from his position in the party two months earlier, a document now reveals.

A resignation letter signed by Bala himself on May 18, 2025, shows that he voluntarily stepped down from his role as the party’s Deputy National Chairman.

In the letter, he stated that his resignation was “to make way for the opposition coalition,” which has since adopted the ADC as its political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Despite his earlier resignation, Bala on Wednesday addressed a press conference in Abuja where he announced himself as the new leader of the party and rejected the legitimacy of the David Mark-led interim leadership.

He accused the coalition of hijacking the ADC’s structure “through unconstitutional means” and vowed to challenge what he described as the “total surrender” of the party to external forces in court.

“We wish to draw the attention of all members of our great party and Nigerians at large to the ongoing acts of political hooliganism being perpetrated by some individuals who were hitherto entrusted with the leadership of the party,” he said.

His declaration follows the July 2 formation of an opposition alliance involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Senate President David Mark, and others.

Advertisement

As the contest for the Osun 2026 governorship elections intensifies, two prominent political figures have come together in a significant alliance, uniting their forces to confront a shared adversary.

Their partnership signals a strategic shift, aiming to consolidate support and resources as they prepare to engage in what promises to be a fiercely competitive election.

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and former Governor Rauf Aregbesola may have resolved their differences, as reported by Prompt News.

Governor Ademola Adeleke was openly rejected by the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in Osun state following a rumour of defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

To seal his move to the ruling party, the Osun State governor visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at his private residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The governor was accompanied by his elder brother, prominent businessman and philanthropist, Adedeji Adeleke as well as internationally renowned Afrobeat artiste, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.

Despite holding secret meetings with top APC leaders, he was rejected due to the APC candidate who believed the party is strong enough to defeat the sitting PDP governor in 2026 governorship election in the state.

Advertisement

Governor Adeleke’s desperation continues as he and the PDP party have endorsed President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential race.

A fresh rumour has emerged again following the reconciliation of former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Governor Adeleke after the governor’s spokesperson to issued scathing attacks on Aregbesola was reportedly cautioned, while Aregbesola loyalists were also directed to stop any further hostile engagements with the Adeleke group.

Meanwhile, according to Prompt News, top leaders in the know of the development revealed that the recent media exchanges between the two groups have been resolved with both sides agreeing not to launch media attacks against each other.

Further checks showed that the cooperation may largely be a state matter as both Adeleke and Aregbesola had a common enemy in the person of the Blue Economy Minister, Gboyega Oyetola.

A source from Adeleke’s camp revealed that the governor is ready for any deal that favour his reelection after he was rejected from APC. Following the reconciliation, the governor may likely strike a deal with the ADC leader and possible defection is imminent.

“I can tell you that governor is ready for open deal that will favour his reelection and reconciling with Aregbesola is the best shot for him. This is politics, no permanent enemy, both of them are cordial before the media attack. Adeleke knows Aregbesola’s political status in Osun.”

As things stand, the possibility of an alliance between Aregbesola and Adelekes is said to be very strong as an ongoing development.

Advertisement

“As such, I find it morally and politically necessary to withdraw my membership and step away from a system that no longer reflects the aspirations of its people.

“I remain grateful to the PDP for the opportunities it afforded me to serve, lead, and grow, and I deeply cherish the relationships built over the years.”

As 2027 races heat up with many politicians making necessary transfer like the football terms, moving from PDP to APC, Labour Party To African Democratic Congress, so also is a prominent politician from Edo State.

Deacon Darlington Okpebholo Ray, the Lead Spokesman of the Team Asue Media Organization (TAMO), has officially resigned his membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect, citing hijack of the party by undemocratic forces.

The UK-based prominent media expert, who had served in various capacities at both State and National levels, made his resignation known in a letter back dated to July 17, 2025 and addressed to the PDP Chairman in Ward 5, Esan North East Local Government Area, Edo State.

Okpebholo Ray said; “I write to formally tender my resignation as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with immediate effect.

“Since joining the party in 1998, I have served diligently and in good conscience across various strategic platforms, as Lead Spokesman of the Team Asue Media Organization, Media Committee Member of the Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu Campaign Organization (2016), and later, the Godwin Obaseki Campaign Organization (2020).

Advertisement

“I was also honoured to serve as a member of the PDP Youth Mobilization Committee in 2019 and as the National Coordinator of the Think Naija Think Atiku Support Group.

“These roles saw me actively representing our candidates and party at different fora, campaign platforms, in newspapers, and on national television stations, even as a diaspora member committed to Nigeria’s democratic future.

“Throughout these assignments, I remained committed to the founding values of inclusion, internal democracy, and collective advancement that once defined the PDP.

“Sadly, the soul of the party has been surrendered to undemocratic forces and personal interests, suffocating the hopes of young Nigerians who once saw the PDP as a beacon of national redemption.

“As such, I find it morally and politically necessary to withdraw my membership and step away from a system that no longer reflects the aspirations of its people.

“I remain grateful to the PDP for the opportunities it afforded me to serve, lead, and grow, and I deeply cherish the relationships built over the years.

“I now turn to new possibilities, with firm belief that Nigeria deserves better”.

Advertisement