Politics
Election: Cameroonians in Calabar warn President Biya to concede defeat
Cameroonian refugees and residents in Calabar, Cross River State, have urged President Paul Biya, 92, to concede defeat in the recently concluded presidential election, which early tallies indicate was won by opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary, 76.
Bakary and his supporters have already called for his swearing-in, insisting they won the October 12, 2025 election fairly.
President Biya, one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, has ruled Cameroon since April 1982, following the exit of President Ahmadou Ahidjo, and was seeking an eighth term in office.
Cameroon is next door neighbour to Nigeria by the eastern flank.
Speaking in Calabar on Tuesday, several Cameroonian citizens, many of whom fled the Ambazonian insurgency in the country’s southwest since 2014, warned Biya’s handlers to “put Cameroon’s interest above personal ambition” and avert further international embarrassment.
According to them, Biya is hardly aware or in tune with contemporary happenings in their country.
“Now we have an election where a candidate has clearly defeated Paul Biya. There’s no need to twist the results again. Let Bakary be sworn in after 43 years for the sake of change,” said Clemence Nchongo, 60.
The refugees, whose population in Calabar has grown significantly in recent years, alleged that Biya no longer governs directly and that a cabal has been manipulating state processes in his name. They called on Elections Cameroon and the Constitutional Council to validate the results in the nation’s interest.
Another respondent, Frances Clemence, estimated that Cameroonian nationals in Cross River could number over 2,000, stressing that “the people’s will must be respected.”
However, the Cameroonian government has maintained that only the Constitutional Council has authority to declare a winner and warned that premature victory claims could amount to high treason.
In Ikom, in central Cross River State, two other respondents, Denise Yawun and Marie Ntui, criticised what they called “France-controlled governance” in Cameroon.
They expressed relief that they could now voice their opinions freely from Nigeria.
“We need a new president. Biya never campaigned; he’s too old and has been confined abroad. Let’s move away from this political prison,” said Marie. “Bakary has won. They should swear him in and let Cameroon breathe fresh air.”
Ntui, a teacher, added that rejecting Bakary’s victory could further inflame the separatist conflict. “Removing Biya is the first step toward ending the Ambazonian armed struggle,” he stated.
EVENTS
PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES SENATOR IFEANYI ARARUME ON HIS BIRTHDAY
President Bola Tinubu felicitates Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume, astute politician and accomplished businessman, on his birthday, December 16.
Senator Ararume’s odyssey in politics began in the late 1980s, when he served as the State Treasurer of the Liberal Convention in old Imo State. He later joined the National Finance Committee of the defunct National Republican Convention.
He represented Imo North in the 9th National Assembly. He was first elected in May 1999 and re-elected in April 2003. He also served on several committees and held other official roles.
President Tinubu commends the former senator for his years of service to the nation and contributions to its peace, unity, and progress.
The President describes Senator Ararume as a resolute and shrewd politician, highlighting his courageous and remarkable political journey through the years.
President Tinubu wishes Senator Ararume a happy 67th birthday and prays that God Almighty will grant him more years of good health and strength.
Politics
Ndigbo are no longer spectators in the Nigerian project- Minister Dave Umahi dismisses calls for Biafra under Tinubu’s administration
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, says the all-inclusive style of governance being practiced by President Bola Tinubu has made the agitation for Biafra an unnecessary clamour.
While speaking at the inspection of the Enugu-Anambra road last Saturday, December 13, Umahi said the Tinubu administration had given Ndigbo what they had sought for decades, not through secession, but through what he described as unprecedented inclusion in national governance and development.
He explained that the agitation for Biafra was historically driven by neglect, exclusion and underrepresentation at the federal level, but insisted that the situation had changed under the current administration.
“When a people are fully integrated, respected and empowered within the structure of the nation, the dream they once chased through agitation has already been achieved through cooperation.
The push for Biafran secession over the years was borne out of neglect, exclusion and underrepresentation but today the narrative has changed dramatically under President Bola Tinubu.
The President has deliberately opened the doors of national development to the South-East. Appointments, policy inputs and infrastructure priorities now reflect true federal balance.
Every sector now bears visible Igbo footprints. The emergence of Igbo sons and daughters in strategic positions is a testament to this inclusion.
Biafra was never about breaking Nigeria; it was about being counted in Nigeria. Through inclusion, equity and concrete development, Ndigbo are no longer spectators in the Nigerian project; they are co-authors of its future. When justice finds a people, agitation loses its voice.”he said
Politics
ADC Launches 90-Day Membership Drive, Fixes Dates For Congresses, National Convention
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced a 90-day nationwide membership mobilisation, revalidation, and registration exercise as part of preparations for its internal party activities ahead of 2026.
The party also approved provisional dates for its congresses and the election of delegates at the polling unit, ward, and local government levels across the country.
In circulars issued by its national secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, the ADC said the congresses are expected to hold between January 20 and January 27, 2026.
The process, the party said, will lead to the emergence of delegates who will participate in its non-elective national convention scheduled for February 2026 in Abuja.
A statement by Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the party, said the decisions were reached at a meeting of the national working committee (NWC) held on November 27, 2025.
Abdullahi said the timetable and activities were approved in line with the resolutions of the NWC and in accordance with relevant provisions of the party’s constitution.
The ADC said further details on the membership exercise, congresses, and convention will be communicated to party members and stakeholders in due course.
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