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Kebbi guber 2027: Ex-AGF, Malami’s silent moves rattle Gov Idris’s camp

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The sudden appearance of campaign posters bearing the image of former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, across parts of Kebbi State and on social media has stirred fresh political tension ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The development, Ekwutosblog observed, seems to have unsettled the camp of the incumbent Governor Nasir Idris.

The posters, which hint at Malami’s ambition to contest for the governorship seat sighted in some parts of Kebbi State by our reporter, have reignited debate over political zoning, performance of the current administration and the growing calls for power shift away from Kebbi Central, the region that has produced successive governors since the state’s creation in 1991.

 

Governor Nasir Idris, elected in 2023 on the All Progressives Congress, APC, platform, is currently serving his first term in office.

He is widely believed to be interested in a second term, which has traditionally been the norm in Kebbi since the state’s creation in 1991.

No sitting governor in the state has ever failed to secure re-election, a historical trend that Idris’s supporters believe gives him an upper hand.

His political rise was buoyed by a strong labour background, as a former National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers and Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, which helped him garner support from civil servants and the grassroots across the state.

However, the governor’s journey toward a second term is likely to be more complex than his predecessors.

In addition to battling discontent over the growing insecurity in parts of the state, including the emergence of the terrorist group, Lakurawa, Governor Idris must also contend with a resurgent opposition.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains a formidable force in the state, having secured all three senatorial seats in the last election.

This rare sweep in the National Assembly from a single party, while the governorship seat is held by the opposition, signals that the APC’s grip on the state is not absolute.

In fact, all three senators representing Kebbi North, Kebbi Central, and Kebbi South are members of the PDP, a situation that not only reflects the strength of the opposition but also hints at fractures within the APC’s local structure.

Political analysts believe that this could pose a major challenge to Idris’s re-election efforts if these divisions persist.

While Malami has yet to make any formal political pronouncement, insiders suggest he is considering all strategic options, including pitching his tent with the PDP if the APC ticket is not favorable.

According to one source, “Malami is not desperate, but he is calculating. If the APC closes the door on him, he has other options. The PDP is watching too.”

Adding to the complexity is the influential presence of former governor and political godfather, Senator Adamu Aliero.

Once a key powerbroker in Kebbi politics and former mentor to several rising politicians, Aliero has since realigned with the PDP and is believed to be a major force behind its current resurgence in the state.

Sources within political circles have said Aliero has not been on good terms with Governor Idris, and any subtle moves he makes leading up to 2027 could significantly impact the outcome of the election.

Amid these challenges, the re-entry of Malami into the political discourse has polarised opinion within the ruling APC.

While some party stakeholders have dismissed his ambition as speculative and unrealistic, pointing to his perceived lack of grassroots support, others warn that he should not be underestimated, given his longstanding ties to national power brokers and the political elite.

An APC chieftain in Brinin Kebbi, Shehu Bashir, said, “Malami’s name carries weight in Abuja, not in our villages. People here want leaders who understand their daily struggles, not those who only show up when elections approach.

“Governor Idris may be having challenges, but he is still connected to the people.”

However, another party chieftain, Arewa Dandi, Salif Moussa, cautioned that dismissing Malami could be politically dangerous.

“He is a strategist. His charity initiatives, his national connections, and his silence after stepping down in 2023 have all been calculated. If he chooses to run, he will not be a pushover,” the source said.

Malami, a native of Kebbi Central, previously signaled interest in the 2023 governorship race before withdrawing under unclear circumstances.

His withdrawal paved the way for Governor Idris’s emergence as the party’s candidate.

The return of Malami’s posters has reignited the internal power tussle in the APC and stirred fresh calls for power rotation to Kebbi North or Kebbi South.

Many have argued that since Kebbi Central has held the governorship since 1999, it is time for other senatorial districts to be considered.

A youth leader from Yauri in Kebbi South, Musa Dankande, said, “Our zone has never produced a governor. It’s not about tribe or religion, it’s about fairness. We have capable leaders. If APC truly wants to keep the state, they must listen to this clamour.”

Though Malami has not officially declared interest, political observers believe the emergence of his posters is a clear sign of mobilization.

With the 2027 election less than two years away, the unfolding developments suggest a stormy race ahead, one that could test the strength of incumbency, the weight of federal connections, and the will of the grassroots electorate in Kebbi State.

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PDP to screen Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday as its sole Presidential aspirant For 2027 race

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has scheduled to screen former president Goodluck Jonathan tomorrow, Tuesday, aMay 19, as the lone presidential candidate of party.

According to a statement from the PDP faction backed by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, former governor of Plateau State, Jona Jang and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tom Ikimi have been listed among a committee of 14 members to screen Jonathan described as a lone candidate by the party.

Other members of the committee were Chief Olabode George, Babangida Aliyu, Maryam ciroma, Zainab Maina, Josephine Anenin, Dr. Abdul Bulama, Dr. Esther Uduehi, Edo State PDP chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, Dr. Sunday Solarium and Chief Anicho Okoro, who would serve as administrative secretary of the committee.

Last week, the national Publicity Secretary of the faction, Ini Ememobong, disclosed that former president Jonathan has successfully registered as a member of the party in the fresh digital registration exercise directed by INEC.

The PDP faction also announced that it was set to screen 748 house of representatives aspirants, 198 senatorial aspirants, and 112 governorship aspirants.

The screening committee would screen 2122 states houses of assembly aspirants. The exercise will commence tomorrow, Tuesday in different states.

According to the statement, the screening exercise would take place nationwide on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

The statement said the Interim National Working Committee (iNWC) has also released the names of members to serve on the Screening Committees and Screening Appeal Panels.

It added that the publication of the screening details “is in accordance with the party’s guidelines and timetable for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.”

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Oshiomhole wins Edo APC senatorial primaries unopposed

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A former governor and incumbent Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, along with his counterpart Senator Joe Ikpea, sailed through the All Progressives Congress senatorial primary in Edo unopposed, and securing their tickets without a single vote cast against them.

Also Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama emerged the winner in the APC primary for the Edo South senatorial district.

Ogbeide-Ihama won in the seven local government areas of Edo South in the results announced by the Chairman of APC National Assembly Primary Election, Muhammed Ajana at the Urokpota Hall, Benin.

He polled 27,154 votes while his opponents, Senator Neda Imasuen, got 13,580, and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu got 6785.

The elections were hitch-free in Edo North and Edo Central, where there was no contest against the incumbents, Senators Oshiomhole of Edo North and Ikpea of Edo Central, respectively.

Ajana at the Urokpota Hall said the collation arose from votes cast in the seven local government areas made up of 77 wards where elections were conducted by members of the committee.

He said, “There are seven local governments that make up the Edo South Senatorial District. We have heard from the Returning officers from the seven local government areas. From the collation, the cumulative result we have for Edo South Senatorial District is this; Ogbeide-Ihama with 27,154 votes, Imasuen with 13,580 votes and Ize-Iyamu with 6, 785.

“This is the total reflection of what has transpired from the ward level to the local government and the Edo South senatorial district collation centre. With this we await further directives from the National Secretariat, we have done our best by collating the results which is our mandate, to collate the results and send them to the National Secretariat.”

However, it was gathered that Ize-Iyamu emerged as the APC candidate for Edo South Senatorial race. He claimed to have clinched the party’s ticket after defeating Ogbeide-Ihama and Imasuen.

It was claimed that the Chief Returning Officer, Abubakar Muhammad Kabiru, officially declared Ize-Iyamu the winner after securing the highest number of votes cast.

On his part, the senator representing the district condemned the exercise describing it as a sham allegedly designed to favour a preferred aspirant.

Imasuen spoke while reacting to events at his polling unit in Umagbae North Ward 5, Urhokuosa where he said he was denied the opportunity to vote following what he described as a chaotic and manipulated process.

The lawmaker accused leaders of the party of openly adopting a preferred candidate ahead of the exercise and intimidating members into supporting that aspirant.

He said, “There is nothing satisfactory about this sham of election they did today and it is very unfortunate because as a loyal party member, I expected something better than this.”

He said the warning signs emerged days before the primary when some ward chairmen allegedly informed him that they had been directed not to receive him during consultations.

Imasuen claimed that some ward leaders openly told him the party had already adopted a preferred aspirant, identified as Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, making further consultations unnecessary.

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Ajuloopin Suffers Setback as Home Ward Rejects Third Term Return Bid in Kwara APC Primary

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The re-election bid of the member representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency, Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi, popularly known as Ajuloopin, suffered a major setback on Friday after party members in his home ward, Omu-Aran Ward 1, boycotted the All Progressives Congress APC House of Representatives primary.

According to party stakeholders and observers present at the exercise, no valid election took place in the ward after members refused to participate in protest against what they described as the lawmaker’s poor performance after three consecutive terms in the House of Representatives.

Sources in the ward said efforts by some political figures and loyalists to persuade members to back Ajuloopin’s ambition failed, with party faithful insisting they would not endorse what they termed an attempt to impose his candidacy again.

The boycott led to a breakdown of the electoral process in Omu-Aran Ward 1, with many members staying away from the polls entirely. Stakeholders have called on the APC Electoral Committee to disregard any result purportedly presented from the ward, arguing that no credible primary was conducted there.

Political observers in the constituency described the development as a significant blow to Ajuloopin, noting that the rejection came from his own ward and among constituents most familiar with his record.

Preliminary reports from other parts of Irepodun, Isin and Oke-Ero local government areas, where voting proceeded, also indicated weak support for the incumbent. Many party members were said to have voted for alternative aspirants.

APC stakeholders have urged the party leadership to review reports from affected wards and accept only authentic and verifiable results to preserve the credibility of the primaries. They stressed that internal democracy was critical to the party’s prospects in the constituency and warned against imposing unpopular candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

With tension rising across the federal constituency, party faithful said the leadership must listen to grassroots members and allow delegates and supporters to determine the outcome of the primaries.

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