By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has demanded the immediate sack of top government officials and the resignation of President Bola Tinubu over the N1.3 billion scandal involving the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC, now described by the Presidency as “fake.”

In a statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Comrade James Ezema, the CNPP described the episode as “one of the greatest self-inflicted international embarrassments in Nigeria’s democratic history.”

The CNPP said it was alarmed that one Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew allegedly operated for months as the Director General of PFIPC, occupied office space in the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, met with ambassadors, and opened bank accounts including one with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

More disturbing, it said, was that the supposedly “non-existent” agency was captured in the 2026 Appropriation Act signed by President Tinubu, with over N1.3 billion allocated for salaries, allowances and a proposed World Investment Summit.

“The Federal Government cannot sign an Appropriation Act containing an agency and later declare the same agency ‘fake’ through a press statement,” it stated.

The group said no government can invalidate an Act of Parliament with a press release, adding that the conduct “projects Nigeria before the international community as a Banana Republic where state institutions have collapsed.”

It argued that a responsible government would have scrapped the agency, ordered an investigation and sent an amendment bill to the National Assembly.

The CNPP demanded the immediate sack or resignation of the Chief of Staff to the President, CBN Governor, officials of the Accountant-General’s Office and Budget Office, Federal Executive Council, FEC members who approved the budget, ministers, agency heads and the National Assembly principal officers involved.

The group said if President Tinubu fails to act, “he must take full responsibility for this unprecedented governance failure and tender his resignation.

“As Chairman of FEC that scrutinized the budget and as the President who signed the 2026 Appropriation Act, President Tinubu cannot escape responsibility,” it said.

The CNPP also called for immediate scrapping of the agency, Executive Bill to amend the 2026 budget, independent judicial commission of inquiry, publication of all records and prosecution of culpable persons.

“The Nigerian people deserve accountability. They deserve leaders who respect the laws of the land. Above all, they deserve a government that will not turn the country into a global symbol of institutional failure,” the statement said.

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

A former chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr Jackson Lekan Ojo, has said that opponents of ex-Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar are making a mistake by underrating him, declaring that Atiku would inherit the 12 million Northern block votes associated with late President Muhammadu Buhari in 2027.

In an interview in Abuja, Ojo said while Southern votes would be scattered among about 10 presidential hopefuls, the Northern vote will remain consolidated behind the leading candidate from the region.

“I am a nationalist. Don’t forget Buhari’s 12 million traditional block votes in the North. Who do you think will inherit it? Atiku will inherit it,” he said.

Ojo argued that hardship under President Bola Tinubu has eroded support for him in the North.

“The Northern people have never suffered like this in the political history of Nigeria. With that level of suffering, you think they will mobilize to support Tinubu?” he asked.

He dismissed the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC vice presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as a threat to Atiku in the North, saying the former Kano State governor has lost his structure.

“He has lost the governor of Kano, the senators, the House of Assembly. Kwankwaso has no serious political base today. It’s just the Kwankwasiya Movement scattered everywhere,” Ojo said, adding that Kwankwaso is only “formidable in Kano and maybe a little fraction in Jigawa.”

Predicting fragmentation in the South, Ojo said: “Bola Tinubu lost Lagos. How many South West states did he win? Now there are about 10 presidential candidates from the South and the votes will be divided into 10 places.”

He cited rising insecurity in the South West and questioned if Tinubu can win Oyo against Governor Seyi Makinde or Osun with Rauf Aregbesola as ADC National Secretary.

The former chieftain warned of mass defections within the APC. “There is going to be a lot of betrayals, even among the rank and file of the APC. Tinubu is going to see a lot of betrayals from the Northern angle. I make bold to say that,” he stated.

Ojo rejected zoning, calling it unconstitutional and ineffective. “Federal character is not working. Zoning is just by mutual agreement. At this point I believe in ‘contractocracy’ — the best material,” he said.

He cited examples from Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and the present administration to argue that zoning has failed to deliver good governance, jobs, or security.

Backing Atiku, Ojo aligned with Obasanjo’s position that Nigeria needs him to “bring the change we are yearning for.”

He credited Atiku as Vice President and head of the National Economic Council with the telecoms revolution, debt relief, and bringing in technocrats like Nuhu Ribadu, Nasir El-Rufai, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Oby Ezekwesili and Chukwuma Soludo.

“Among those contesting now, he is the only one with the experience and pedigree. It was his economic team that brought MTN, Glo, Airtel. Instead of borrowing, our debts were written off,” Ojo said.

By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately clarify widespread reports alleging that it has issued the Candidates’ Access Code for the upload of candidates for the 2027 general elections to a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose claim to the party’s leadership remains the subject of subsisting judicial pronouncements and ongoing litigation.

The prominent Pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA asserts that the Professor Joash Amupitan-led electoral commission owes Nigerians a duty of transparency. Silence on such a fundamental issue only fuels public suspicion and undermines confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the electoral process.

If indeed the reports are true that the Candidates’ Access Code has been issued to the faction associated with the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, then INEC must immediately explain the legal basis for taking such a consequential administrative step despite the existence of appellate court decisions and an ongoing suit before the Federal High Court seeking judicial determination of the authentic leadership of the PDP.

HURIWA recalls that the Court of Appeal recently delivered a judgment holding that the tenure of the former National Legal Adviser, A.K. Ajibade, SAN, expired in December 2025 and that there was no credible evidence before the court establishing his purported re-election. The appellate court consequently held that any subsequent letter of instruction issued by him lacked legal validity, thereby significantly undermining the legal foundation upon which the March 29, 2026 convention conducted by the Wike-aligned faction was predicated.

The implication of that judgment is that serious legal questions remain regarding the legitimacy of actions flowing from the disputed convention. These questions cannot simply be ignored by an institution constitutionally required to conduct elections with strict neutrality and fidelity to the rule of law.

HURIWA further notes that the Board of Trustees of the PDP, led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, constituted an interim National Working Committee headed by Chief Kabir Tanimu Turaki, SAN, and has already instituted Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026 before the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking orders compelling INEC to recognise the Turaki-led interim National Working Committee as the lawful leadership of the party.

It is a matter of public record that INEC has entered appearance in the suit and that the Federal High Court has fixed July 7, 2026, for the hearing of all pending applications and the substantive case after ordering accelerated hearing because of the Commission’s electoral timetable.

Equally significant is the fact that counsel to the plaintiffs informed the court that political parties had already begun receiving Candidates’ Access Codes for the upload of candidates, while requesting that the Turaki-led leadership also be issued the code to avoid irreparable prejudice pending the determination of the case.

In these circumstances, HURIWA believes that INEC must exercise utmost restraint. The Commission must not take any administrative step capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or rendering the pending proceedings merely academic.

Nigeria’s electoral umpire has a constitutional obligation not merely to organise elections but to inspire confidence that it acts without fear, favour or political influence. Any action that appears to pre-empt the outcome of pending litigation would amount to a grave disservice to constitutional democracy.

If INEC has not issued the Candidates’ Access Code to any PDP faction, it should state so unequivocally and reassure Nigerians that it will abide by whatever lawful orders ultimately emerge from the courts.

However, if the Commission has already issued the code to any faction notwithstanding the subsisting legal disputes, HURIWA urges it to immediately review that decision in the interest of justice, fairness and constitutional order. The Commission should ensure that its actions remain fully consistent with extant judicial pronouncements and should avoid conduct capable of compromising the pending proceedings before the Federal High Court. If INEC is to issue the Access Code it should inevitably be issued to the interim leadership put in place by the Board of Trustees.

The integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process depends not only on free elections but on the unwavering commitment of every public institution to the supremacy of the Constitution and the authority of the courts.

HURIWA therefore urges INEC to act strictly within the law, maintain institutional neutrality and avoid any action that could deepen political tensions or erode public confidence in the democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.