By our Correspondent

The All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Representatives candidate for Ekiti South Federal Constituency, Engr. Toyin Okoro, has asked incumbent lawmaker, AVM Rufus Adeniyi Ojuawo (Rtd), to accept his defeat at the party’s primary and stop orchestrating a campaign of calumny against him.

Okoro said he would not be distracted by a sponsored media report claiming he was “grilled over alleged contract fraud” by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.

In a statement in Abuja on Friday, the Toyin Okoro Campaign Council said its candidate only honoured an ICPC invitation to respond to a petition, which he did as a law-abiding citizen.

“An invitation to clarify issues is a routine procedure and does not amount to guilt, indictment or conviction. But in his mischievous and desperate manner, Ojuawo, who is apparently behind the petition to the ICPC, sponsored the media report aimed at discrediting the candidate of his own party just because he lost his bid to return to the House of Representatives in 2027,” it said.

The Council, in the statement signed by its Director of Media, Strategy and Publicity, Yomi Abegunde, described Okoro as a law-abiding Nigerian with no criminal record, adding that “he has never been arrested, charged or convicted of any criminal offence in his life. He is a respected professional Engineer and public servant who served meritoriously.”

The Council said the petition alleged that Okoro operated as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of a private company while serving as Senior Legislative Aide at the National Assembly.

“We state categorically that Engr Toyin Okoro never broke any law as he duly resigned as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of a private company when he was appointed as Senior Legislative Aide at the National Assembly,” it said.

It accused Ojuawo of embarking on a desperate mission to truncate the mandate freely given to Okoro after losing the primary conducted in May 2026.

“Before the primary election, Ojuawo petitioned the APC Screening Committee that screened aspirants, seeking the disqualification of Engr. Toyin Okoro. The Committee dismissed his petition for lack of merit and cleared him to contest.

“In the same vein, he sponsored another frivolous petition challenging the origin of Engr. Toyin Okoro as a bona fide son of Ise-Ekiti. This also failed woefully as his root and indigeneship are incontestable and well documented,” the Council stated.

It added: “Having failed at the party level, Ojuawo has approached the court challenging the outcome of a primary election he lost woefully. The matter is subjudice and we are confident the judiciary will uphold the will of the people.

“Realizing that all his moves have collapsed, Ojuawo has now resorted to weaponizing a respected state institution by sponsoring a phantom petition to the ICPC to embarrass and distract our candidate.”

The Council urged the public and supporters across Ikere, Ekiti South-West and Ise/Orun Local Governments to disregard the campaign.

“We also call on the Government of Ekiti State, the National Leadership of the APC, and all well-meaning stakeholders to pay close attention to these desperate moves capable of disrupting party unity.

“Most importantly, we call on the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, and all security agencies to ensure the protection of the life and property of Engr. Toyin Okoro and his family.

“The people have spoken through the primary election. The party has affirmed and INEC has approved. No amount of blackmail will stop our party, the APC, from coming out victorious in the 2027 general elections,” the Council added.

By Our Correspondent
Aggrieved members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress ( NDC) in Benue South Senatorial District , under the aegis of NDC Integrity Group, Friday dumped the Presidential Candidate of the party , Peter Obi for President Bola Tinubu of APC and Senatorial Candidate of the party , Daniel Onje for Senator Abba Moro of PDP as preferred candidates to vote for, in the 2027 general election.

The Benue South NDC Integrity Group led by Zonal Coordinator , Hon Yakubu Audu made the declaration during courtesy visit the Senate Minority Leader , Abba Moro by also declaring their total support for the Strategic Alliance being led by Senator George Akume in Benue State

Explaining their electoral coalition concept for Benue South in the 2027 general election , Hon Audu told Abba Moro that the need for retention of voice for Benue South in the Senate , made the group to dump Senatorial candidate of NDC for him ahead of the January 16, 2027 Presidential and National Assembly election .

” The voice you have been giving the Benue South Senatorial District in the Senate as Minority Leader , needs to be sustained in the 11th National Assembly . We cannot bring any new person into the Senate for Benue South now without the needed voice .

” In picking you outside our party as preferred candidate for the senatorial contest , we are taking the right step for the general interest of Benue South Senatorial District on account of effective representation you have been the people of the Senatorial District since 2019.

” In line with the saying that who the cap fits , let him wear it , we are here to openly pledge our support for you in the coming election “, he said .

Also declaring the support of the group for Senator Abba Moro and President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election , the State Coordinator of the NDC Integrity group , Hon Emmanuel Orih said their move was in with Benue State Strategic Alliance being led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Senator George Akume .

” For the 2027 general election and particularly for Benue South , our concept is electoral coalition which is making us to prefer Distinguished Senator Abba Moro as candidate of PDP for the election and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC as preferred candidate for the presidential position .

” We are in NDC but see Senator Abba Moro of the PDP as the most suitable candidate for Benue South Senatorial District and President Bola Tinubu as the preferred candidate for the presidency”, he said .

In his response, Senator Abba Moro thanked the NDC integrity group for considering the interest of Benue South far above the partisan ones .

The action of the group according to him, is in line with strategic alliance being led in the State by Senator George Akume and which he believes in for the good of all, particularly in Benue State .

He said as far as Benue State is concerned, promises and realities would shape the choice of candidates to vote for .

” For the Presidential election , are we to be listening to candidates that will come and be telling us what they have in plan to do or vote for the one that is already doing concrete things .

” President Bola Tinubu on road infrastructure alone , has constructed Abuja – Keffi – Makurdi Road and also working on Otukpo – Enugu Federal Highway .

” For me such a person on the template of reality , should be the preferred presidential candidate to vote for by Benue people and not those that are just at the level of making promises .

” The same consideration as you have done for me , should be used for those contesting for the governorship position in the State.

” Specifically , are Benue South people suppose to look at the direction of a governor that had spent three years without a single project for commissioning in the area or a governor who gave N40million to family of Chairman of Myetti Allah allegedly killed and N4million to the families of victims of attacks on Otukpo – Nobi community.

” I am not against Father Alia but against government led by him . I am not against the Tiv nation but against the Tiv man who has no regards for the existence of other tribes in the State ” , he said .

By Our Correspondent
Ahead of 2027 general election, a human rights organization, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, Intersociety vowed Thursday that it may be forced to Internationally block six Nigeria Governors from travelling abroad over their non issue based campaigns rather they embark on campaigns of attack and blackmail on political rivals.

In a press release signed by the Intersociety chairman, Nze Emeka Umeagbalasi, he named the governors to include, Rev. Hyacienth Alia of Benue state, Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra, Monday Okpebholo of Edo, peter Mbah of Enugu, Hope Uzodimma of imo and Francis Nwaifuru of Ebonyi state .

He reiterated his resolve to stop them from traveling to Democratic Europe and America and show them the way to Somalia and Afghanistan rather.

According to Umeagbalasi, “It is therefore on these grounds that we at the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (InterSociety) have monitored Nigeria’s unfolding political events especially since the swearing-in in Oct 2025 of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN; an Ijumu-born Professor of Law from Kogi State as Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

” Having been deeply worried over unfolding political events under his chairmanship especially the religiously motivated timed January 2027 Presidential Election and allied others, the following findings have been made and positions taken : NSCIA Versus INEC: Amupitan’s Legal Brief On Christian Genocide Controversy: The religiously motivated media attacks at the person and religious faith (for being a Christian) of the Chairman of INEC by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and allied Islamic bodies was found to have marked a turning point and a major stumbling block against the capacity of the INEC Chairman to discharge his sworn duties credibly, independently and impartially in accordance with the multi-ethnic and multi-religious composition of Nigeria as enshrined in the country’s 1999 Constitution.

” There is no doubt that the sole aim of the attacks was to make the INEC helmsman a lame duck and a stooge ahead of the January 2027 Presidential Poll and allied others. It must be disclosed that it was InterSociety that exclusively disclosed to Sahara Reporters in November 2025 that Professor O. Amupitan, SAN, as a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria was the one that wrote: Legal Brief: “Genocide in Nigeria: Implications for the International Community-2020”.

“As a matter of fact, InterSociety was responding to BBC’s biased report, riddled with imported falsehoods including amplification of Nigerian Government false denials and cover-ups on raging Religious Genocide or egregious Persecution in Nigeria including mass killing of Christians and destruction of churches as well as tribo-religious and well-coordinated attacks against moderate Muslims.

“It was in the course of our media engagement with Sahara Reporters on that they came across our exclusive disclosure while going through our reference to Prof Joash Amupitan’s Legal Brief and resolved to publish it as a separate news; from where the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and allied others launched series of fierce personal and institutional attacks on the new INEC Chairman (as he then was), calling him names and asking him to resign.

“Pre-Resignation Letter allegedly signed by Professor Joash Amupitan: INEC Chairman’s independence, integrity and credibility were also found to have suffered another major setback when former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof Chdi Amsalem Odinkalu made a weighty and serious allegation on his X handle, alleging that “INEC Chairman Amupitan’s appointment was contingent upon a pre-signed resignation letter by powerful interests”.

“According to Sahara Reporters of April 2, 2026, Prof Odinkalu was further quoted as having added: “I have it on the impeccable authority that there is a pre-signed resignation letter by Chairman Amupitan. It was a pre-condition for his appointment”.

“Polling Units Living-Votes Results Unlikely In The Jan 2027 Presidential Poll: Our position, therefore, is that with the INEC Chairman having been so harassed and intimidated; and having allegedly been compelled to allegedly sign the alleged pre-signed resignation letter by powerful interests in the country’s corridors of power, possibly including leading Islamic bodies; the capacity of the INEC Chairman to conduct free, fair, credible and accountable Jan 2027 presidential poll and allied others based on polling units generated Living Results, is seriously in doubt.

“That is to say that there is likelihood of widespread repeat of the armada of institutional (in-house) rigging of the presidential poll, as was widely suspected to have been the case in 2023. Such are also likely to be extended to Governorship, National and State Assembly Polls. This is more so when not only that members of the opposition political parties and their candidates have turned blind eyes to these grave institutional lapses, challenges and intimidation of the INEC Chairman, but they are compounded by the radical shift of the presidential election timetable on the ground of religion, particularly at the suspected behest of the country’s Islamic leaders.

“Teething Lapses In INEC And Atiku And Peter Obi’s Populism And Crowd Cheering: Following our step-by-step monitoring of the country’s unfolding political events under the current INEC Chairman, it is our finding that leading opposition figures including Mr Peter Obi of NDC and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of ADC, their supporters and followers have continued to be carried away by populism, crowd cheering and sensational social and mainstream media publicity; thereby depriving them of time and opportunities to keep INEC and its Chairman in the record time constant and proper checks.

“For instance, the Nigeria’s leading opposition figures and their parties have failed woefully to compel INEC, in view of the country’s teething territorial insecurity and other unsafe conditions brought about by forest and roadway-flooded Islamic jihadists, to publicly name the number of polling units and collation centres, out of the country’s 176, 846 voting centres and 8, 809 electoral wards where voting and result collation will take place or will not take place especially ahead of the Jan 2027 Presidential Poll; or how the Commission intend to conduct free, fair, credible and accountable presidential poll and others in the country’s 176,846 polling units throughout the country.

“Going by recent experiences in places like Imo, Ebonyi, Rivers, Borno, Zamfara, Benue, etc., especially in those areas devastated by Islamic insurgency and other widespread attacks; tainted electoral results have freely and easily been hatched and harvested in their polling units and electoral wards-using widely suspected cloned INEC’s FormEC8As and FormEC8Bs and other sensitive result tabulation materials.

“The Opposition political figures in the country have also failed to act in record time to compel INEC to migrate to electronic voting, to be practiced and allowed side by side with manual or physical presence voting. It is also most likely correct to say that ahead of the 2027 Polls, there are so many things deliberately left undone by INEC, with the opposition political figures turning blind eyes on them or being too afraid, fearing possible victimization by INEC.

“Political Intolerance of Alia, Soludo, Okpebholo, Others Against Peter Obi: In Anambra State; and contrary to democratic and good governance principles, Prof Charles Soludo as tenured Governor of the State, with about three years and two months before next election into his office and three years and six months before the end of his final tenure; has collapsed the governance and machineries of the State into Tinubu’s presidential campaign instruments and attack machineries against Peter Obi, presidential flagbearer of Nigerian Democratic Congress.

“Professor Soludo must be reminded that voting right is so sacred that he has only one voting right and can never determine the voting rights and outcomes of more than 2.5m Anambra PVC holders found across the State’s 5,720 polling units and 329 wards and result collation centres. That is to say that not even by intimidating and threatening local government and township and community leaders and traditional institutions will this sanctity of the Ballot Box be reversed and militarized. A saying still goes that “Ballot Is Stronger Than Bullet”.

“InterSociety has also received disturbing reports regarding office power abuses and recklessness by State political actors in Benue, Enugu, Edo, Ebonyi and Imo States, among others-where their respective State Governments have resorted to reckless abuse of office power, political rascality and intolerant to dissent voices and muzzling of Civic Space-by organizing direct and indirect attacks and other forms of violence against members of the opposition political parties and their leaders particularly those of the Nigerian Democratic Congress and their Presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Direct or indirect loyalists of Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Rev Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, Francis Nwaifuru of Ebonyi (Nwa Ikuku Father Mbaka), Monday Okpobholo of Edo State and Hope Uzodimna of Imo State, in addition to Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State-have all been fingered in ongoing crude manifestation of office power abuse, political intolerance and rascality.

“In Benue State where former Catholic Priest, Reverend Hyacinth Alia holds sway as Governor since May 29, 2023, recent attack on NDC and its Presidential Candidate (Peter Obi) marked the second time he was being blocked from entering Benue State. Available records at our disposal disturbingly showed that under Rev Alia as Benue Governor since May 29, 2023, no fewer than 2,500 Benue Christians, mainly members of his Catholic Christian denomination have been slaughtered by Jihadist Muslim Fulani Militants; and generally, over 2m have been forced to flee and abandon their livelihoods and Christian faith; out of which over 700,000 are in IDP camps and 1.3m others wallowing in urban homelessness including squatting and homeless street residencies; including hundreds of thousands scattered in Eastern parts of the country.

“Hundreds of churches including over 30 Catholic parishes and outstations have been destroyed or sacked in Kastina-Ala Catholic Diocese alone; likewise, dozens, if not hundreds lost in Otukpo, Gboko and Makurdi Dioceses including those belonging to NKST churches destroyed or sacked. Hundreds of Christian villages and communities have also been uprooted and sacked.

“It is therefore saddening and shocking that the Government of Rev Hyacinth Alia has remained inactive and reluctant in the midst of these religious butcheries and destructions, yet Government linked deadly political thugs were recently mobilized against harmless and law-abiding campaigning political opposition led by Peter Obi and his NDC but failed woefully to prevent attacks and widespread massacre of defenceless Christian Catholics and others across the State.

“The family of our Leader, Emeka Umeagbalasi in the East had also in December 2025 heeded a distress call from one of the Catholic Priests in Katsina-Ala Diocese whose two young parishioners were nearly slaughtered by Jihadist Fulani Militants in Chenchanji, Taraba State where they ran for safety. The two were rescued and kept safe until recently when they moved and settled in Onitsha and Benin respectively.

“Alia, Soludo, Okpebholo, Mbah, Uzodimma And Nwaifuru Risk Being Blocked From Traveling To Europe And Americas And Shown The Way To Somalia And Afghanistan:

“In view of further disturbing reports from Edo, Imo, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi States including reported gun attacks by suspected Government-linked gunmen who opened fire on NDC members during their ward meeting in Enugu, injuring four; violent threats reportedly issued to local government and community leaders by the authorities of the Ebonyi State Government including alleged threats to oust them if APC does not sweep all the elective seats in the State; similar threats issued by the authorities of the Government of Anambra State and similar acts of abuse of office power, political intolerance and rascality in the States of Benue, Edo and Imo;

“InterSociety is strongly calling on those State authorities and others planning similar dastardly acts to stop and desist from overheating the polity, stifling the Civic Space and resorting to crude political exclusion. They are also strongly reminded that “Rights to political participation including rights to vote or be voted for are clearly provided as “Fundamental Human Rights” under Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution especially in Sections 38, 39, 40 and 41 (rights to Freedoms of thought, conscience, association, assembly and movement).

“It is not only that all forms of such abuse of office, political rascality and intolerance must be stopped and discontinued but also all political parties and their presidential candidates must be allowed unrestricted access to political campaign arenas in any part of Nigeria including Anambra, Benue, Edo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, among others.

“They must also be protected by such State political actors and drafted security agencies. It is further reminded that all the Governors mentioned except Soludo of Anambra State and Hope Uzodimma of Imo State are also governorship candidates in their respective States in the 2027 General Elections.

“We Will Force Them Out Of Europe & Americas And Into Somalia And Afghanistan, If…: If these Governors continued to portray themselves and their States as “enemies of ballot democracy and axis of electoral militancy and election rigging”, we will be forced to invoke our worldwide contacts, networks and partnerships to block them from making foreign trips to Europe and Americas; likewise private and diplomatic engagements. That is to so say that we have started compiling their names, with intent and readiness to submit them in all the 27 European Embassies and High Commissions and those of the Americas including the United States and Canada and other strategic quarters in their Home Governments. As “portrayed enemies of democracy and electoral process”, they are morally and diplomatically unfit to be allowed access into the soils of these established Democracies.

“As a matter of fact, we will be compelled to force them into traveling to battered Countries of Somalia and Afghanistan-the world hellfire countries and home to enemies of democracy, democratic free speeches, civic spaces, human rights and fundamental freedoms,” he stated.