Politics

REJOINDER: IT WASN’T THE OPPOSITION – THE APC KICKSTARTED 2027 OUT OF FEAR

Published

8 months ago

September 30, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

I Stand With ADC – National Media Directorate

“Those who fear tomorrow often shout the loudest today.”

Once again, Bayo Onanuga, the ever-willing voice of the Tinubu Presidency, has released yet another verbose, self-congratulatory piece that does more to expose the ruling party’s panic than to persuade anyone of its “successes.” His latest statement, laughably titled “Former President Jonathan Is Welcome to the Race. Nigerians Will Remember His Dismal Record in Office”, attempts to rewrite history by claiming that it is the opposition that has “prematurely foisted” the 2027 presidential contest upon the nation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Let us be clear from the outset: it was the Tinubu administration and the APC themselves who fired the first shots in the 2027 race – not the opposition. From the moment Bola Tinubu took office, his handlers have been in permanent campaign mode, obsessed not with governance but with succession politics and electioneering propaganda. Even as Nigerians groaned under the weight of an economy spiralling out of control, APC’s machinery shifted focus from fixing the present to manipulating the future. National appointments were made with 2027 political calculations in mind, not competence. Federal interventions were weaponised to favour regions and individuals seen as “strategic” to their reelection project. Billions were spent on self-advertising campaigns long before any opposition party had even begun to discuss alliances.

If any proof is needed of who truly “foisted” the 2027 conversation upon the nation, we need look no further than President Tinubu’s own words. Barely eight months into his presidency – January 2024 – he declared publicly at a Lagos APC stakeholders’ event that “by 2027, they will know who owns Lagos and Nigeria.” Since then, his foot soldiers have turned governance briefings into campaign rallies, holding “renewed hope” town halls in all 36 states with more political speeches than policy content. Even the budget presentations in 2024 and 2025 were padded with campaign slogans, a telltale sign of a regime too insecure to focus on today because it fears tomorrow.

The reason is simple: they know what awaits them in 2027 – a historic electoral defeat. Every poll, every street conversation, every market whisper, and every youth gathering reflects one reality: Nigerians are disillusioned. In June 2023, shortly after Tinubu’s inauguration, a reputable NOI-Gallup poll found that 71% of Nigerians believed the country was “on the wrong track.” By mid-2025, that number had risen to 83%. Inflation, which the government boasts of reducing, remains above 20%, food inflation is still above 30%, and the cost of living has doubled in less than three years. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), over 133 million Nigerians now live in multidimensional poverty, a 17% increase from 2022.

And yet, Bayo Onanuga wants Nigerians to believe that “giant strides” have been made. What strides? That the naira – once ₦460 to a dollar – is now oscillating between ₦1,400 and ₦1,500 on the parallel market? That fuel subsidy removal pushed petrol from ₦185 per litre to over ₦850 without a functional public transport system or corresponding wage increases? That a country with over 33% youth unemployment (and even higher underemployment) has become a “global investment magnet”?

The facts mock the propaganda. Tinubu’s so-called economic reforms have unleashed hardship unseen in decades. Crime and insecurity have worsened. Education is in crisis. Health care is collapsing. More than 5 million Nigerians have emigrated since 2023 in the largest brain drain in modern history. These are not the signs of a country that has “turned the corner” – they are the signs of a government desperately spinning tales to distract from its failures.

Onanuga’s attempt to revive the ghost of Goodluck Jonathan’s administration as a campaign scarecrow is equally disingenuous. Nigerians are not debating the past; they are reacting to the present. The overwhelming frustration in the streets is not nostalgia for 2011 – it is anger at 2025. It is the fuel queues, the skyrocketing rent, the collapsing currency, the empty plates, and the shrinking middle class under Tinubu’s watch that will decide 2027 – not tired APC talking points from a decade ago.

And on the matter of the opposition “ganging up,” what Onanuga calls “desperation” is in fact democracy at work. Across the world, opposition parties form alliances to present credible alternatives – and Nigerians welcome this. What frightens the APC is not the existence of coalitions but the calibre of figures involved: statesmen of integrity, seasoned technocrats, and grassroots movements like the ADC-led coalition who command genuine loyalty, not rented applause. The ruling party’s fear is not misplaced – it is rooted in the dawning realisation that they cannot rely on propaganda to win an election against a united, strategic opposition front.

So, let us end this charade: it is not the opposition that triggered the 2027 conversation – it is the APC’s anxiety that did. They are haunted by their record, terrified of public verdict, and unable to inspire confidence beyond the echo chambers of their controlled media. Their premature campaigning is the behaviour of a government already on the defensive, one that senses that its days of electoral impunity are numbered.

And indeed, they are. 2027 will not be a referendum on Goodluck Jonathan. It will not be a referendum on Jerry Gana. It will not even be a referendum on opposition coalitions. It will be a referendum on Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the devastating legacy of mismanagement, inequality, and despair that his presidency has left behind. And on that day, no propaganda, however eloquent, will save them.

I Stand With ADC
National Media Directorate
September 30, 2025

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Politics

2027: More Than 50 Lawmakers Lose APC Reps Tickets in Major Primary Election

Published

12 hours ago

May 20, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

No fewer than 50 members of the 10th House of Representatives are unlikely to be part of the 11th Assembly after losing out in the All Progressive Congress (APC) primaries held on Saturday.

This marks one of the largest turnovers of sitting federal lawmakers since 2015 and signals intensifying internal competition within the ruling party eight months to the 2027 general elections.

While House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas (Kano) and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu (Abia) successfully defended their tickets, several ranking and long-serving lawmakers were defeated, exposing strong anti-incumbent sentiment and the decisive role of state governors in candidate selection.

Major casualties

One of the biggest upsets was the defeat of House Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere in Edo State’s Owan Federal Constituency. He polled 1,005 votes out of 7,587 cast, finishing third behind Andrew Ijegbia, who scored 3,695 votes. Abdul Oroh placed second with 1,740 votes.

In Delta State, veteran lawmaker Nicholas Mutu, who has represented Bomadi/Patani Federal Constituency since 1999, lost his re-election bid. Ngozi Okolie also lost the Aniocha/Oshimili ticket to former House Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu.

Cross River State recorded one of the highest casualty rates, with five of eight incumbents failing to secure re-nomination.

They include three-term member Mike Etaba (Obubra/Etung), Godwin Offiono (Ogoja/Yala), Emil Inyang (Akamkpa/Biase), and Bassey Akiba (Odukpani/Calabar Municipality).

Only Peter Akpanke, Joseph Bassey, and Victor Abang won return tickets.

In Plateau State, conflicting results in Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency triggered early confusion. One returning officer declared challenger John Tongshinen winner with 29,968 votes against incumbent Yusuf Gagdi’s 5,849.

The APC Plateau State primaries committee, chaired by Stella Okotete, later dismissed that declaration as unauthorised and affirmed Mr Gagdi as the authentic winner with 29,207 votes.

At a press briefing, Mrs Okotete stated that Nandom Kura was the recognised returning officer. “The returning officer approved by my committee that has gone to do fake declaration is null and void,” she said.

Other significant losses occurred in Ogun State (at least five incumbents, including Deputy Chief Whip Ibrahim Isiaka and Tunji Akinosi) and Ekiti State (three sitting members).

Politics

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

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

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.”

Politics

Oshiomhole wins Edo APC senatorial primaries unopposed

Published

2 days ago

May 18, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

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.