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Nigerian Senate moves to mandate use of locally-made automobiles by govt agencies

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The Senate on Thursday extended the legislative process aimed at mandating the ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) of government to prioritise locally manufactured automobiles in their procurement processes.

Specifically, the piece of legislation, titled: Local Automotive Industry Patronage Bill, 2025, sponsored by Senator Patrick Ndubueze (APC Imo North), passed second reading during the plenary.

Leading debate on the bill, Ndubueze decried Nigeria’s longstanding overdependence on imported goods, especially automobiles, saying the practice has negatively impacted the naira and undermined local industries.

“Any country that aims to achieve steady economic growth and development must have a policy that encourages and provides a framework for local production. It is also important that goods and services are produced locally as its ripple effect is a reduction in imports and a rise in exports (balance of trade),” he said.

Ndubueze lamented that the country had failed to institutionalize the use of indigenous products, brands, and services and had instead glorified foreign goods of no particular superior quality, saying “today we see the see-sawing of the naira and with every plunge, inflation bites harder.”

He added that despite the issuance of 54 automobile manufacturing licences, only six companies remain operational due to forex constraints and inadequate infrastructure, while several automakers moved to nearby Ghana and are setting up assembly plants there with plans to export the vehicles to Nigeria.

The lawmaker stressed the urgent need for a sustainable automobile policy that would institutionalise the use of Nigerian-made vehicles, especially in government.

He said: “How do we stem the free fall of the naira if we cannot address our appetite for foreign goods? How do we support the development of indigenous brands if the biggest spender, year on year — government — refuses to buy made-in-Nigeria goods?”

Ndubueze, therefore, proposed that at least 75% of official vehicles used by public officers and civil servants should be locally manufactured, not merely assembled, saying “this is the first step to saving our economy, protecting our currency, and creating jobs for our people.”

According to him, companies that qualify as local manufacturers must meet conditions such as having at least 70% Nigerian workforce, investing 75% of their R&D budget locally, and possessing full-scale technology like robotic painting machines and electrophoresis systems.

“Government support for local industry should be seen as both strategically important, a long-term investment, and a national security imperative,” he maintained.

Ndubueze cited examples of countries like China, India, and Malaysia, which initially banned imported cars to grow their local automotive sectors, noting that “today, these countries have perfected their local processes, and we are now importing their products, some of which cannot compete with our locally manufactured vehicles.”

In his contribution, the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Mongunu (APC Borno North), said the proposal would give legislative teeth to the Federal Executive Council (FEC)’s earlier directive on prioritising local products, stressing that “this law will insulate the directive from the whims and caprices of subsequent administrations who may want to reverse it.”

Also supporting the bill, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, said its passage would “provide jobs for automobile engineers in the country and encourage more investors to move into the sector.”

The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Public Procurement for further legislative input and is expected to report back in four weeks.

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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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