By Our Correspondent

South-West governance activist, Dr. Jackson Lekan Ojo, has urged Nigerians to jettison ethnic and religious sentiments and rally behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 presidency.

Ojo, who resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, about two years ago, said Atiku’s track record as Chairman of the National Economic Council remains unmatched and positions him to rescue Nigeria from its current hardship.

“We need an Atiku. We have seen what Atiku achieved when he was just ordinary Vice President and Head of the Economic Team. I would not be holding mobile phone today if not for his economic team,” he said.

The activist recalled that before Atiku’s tenure, Nigeria’s telecommunications sector was “battered,” but the economic team liberalized it without borrowing.

He added that the team also worked to secure debt relief for debts incurred by past military administrations.

“They did not borrow. Even the money the military administrations borrowed they worked towards it and the people wrote off our debts,” Ojo stated.

He said his personal experience under Atiku’s watch convinced him that competence, not connections, delivers results.

“It was during his period I got mobile phone, built house, bought car and achieved a lot of things without knowing anybody or lobbying anyone. But if you do government contract now you need to lobby to get your payment. Enough is enough,” he lamented.

Ojo expressed concern that many Nigerians are prioritizing tribe and religion over performance ahead of 2027.

He questioned the logic of regional voting, asking if Southerners buy fuel or food cheaper than Northerners.

“I was discussing with a friend and he said ‘why did you leave Bola Tinubu, Obi and you are supporting Atiku?’ I asked him ‘why did you leave Atiku and support either Tinubu or Obi?’ He said because Tinubu and Obi are from the South. I laughed and asked him as a Southerner where is that fueling station that you are buying petrol cheaper than a Northerner? He was dumbfounded,” Ojo said.

He described voting based on ethnicity or religion as “arrant nonsense” and “absolute stupidity,” arguing that Nigerians do not ask about the tribe or faith of pilots, lecturers, or market traders in their daily lives.

By George Mgbeleke

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has advised its expelled former National Chairman, to respect the judgement of the Supreme Court and stop parading himself as incumbent national chairman through a purported Federal High Court Judgement.

In a statement signed and made available to Journalists in Abuja on Friday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba,” The attention of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has been drawn to a letter dated 9 July 2026 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), purportedly written on behalf of Shehu Musa Gabam, an expelled former National Chairman of the party, by Messrs White Chambers & Co., and signed by one Yahaya Muka’ila Mavo Esq, claiming to forward “THE JUDGEMENT OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT IN SUIT NO FHC/ABJ/CS/402/2026 BETWEEN SALAWU ADENIYI MUSTAPHA ADEOTI VS INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION & 3 ORS DELIVERED ON 24TH JUNE 2026”

The party called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take note that the said judgement has been appealed against, by the Social Democratic Party, and it is now pending before the Court of Appeal.

According to the statement,”It is clear that the said Plaintiff is not the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the Osun State and did not participate in our primary election. Dr Ajala is the SDP Governorship candidate.

“With respect to the leadership of the SDP, the Supreme Court has maintained that courts do not have jurisdiction to determine who can be the National Chairman, National Secretary, and the leadership of a political party.

“In any case, INEC has no duty under this judgement in reference to doing anything or refraining from doing anything in relation to the leadership of the Social Democratic Party for the following reasons:

(1) There is no positive order mandating INEC to in this judgement to install Shehu Gabam as National Chairman or Ogbonna Okechukwu as NationalSecretary.

(2) Declaration 8 critising INEC for not recognising Shehu Gabam as National Chairman wrongly relied on Court of Appeal decision in Fayemi Tosin Babatunde vs INEC & 4 ORS and it is not binding because the said Court of Appeal judgement has been set aside by the Supreme Court in Fayemi Tosin Babatunde vs INEC delivered on 22nd May 2026 (one month and 2 days before this judgement was rendered relying on the judgement already set aside).

(3) In any case, INEC had already complied with the said Court of Appeal judgement in FAYEMI TOSIN BABATUNDE VS INEC until it was set aside by the Supreme Court on 22nd May 2026 in Fayemi Tosin Babatunde vs INEC and ors. There is, therefore, no subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal, which the Federal High Court can criticise INEC for not complying with.

(4) The Party therefore urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo on Party leadership of the SDP until the final determination of the appeal by the Supreme Court because there is a subsisting decision of the Supreme Court which has setside and nullified the judgement of the Court of Appeal referenced in this Federal High Court judgement under consideration.

(5) To tamper with the leadership of the Social Democratic Party based on this High Court judgement would amount to the High Court overruling the Supreme Court by restoring to life, a Court of Appeal judgement which the Supreme Court has set aside and voided by it’s judgement of May 22, 2026.”

The statement further noted,”The SDP notes that the continued desperation and reckless shenanigans of Shehu Musa Gabam amounts to delebrate threat and assault on our democracy. He needs to be told that the SDP is not his private estate or inheritance. It is a public institution belonging to Nigerians

“On a final note, it is important to emphasize to Gabam that the rule of law supercedes the rule of men, and that, on this matter, he is only dissipating his energy in a wild goose chase, because the judicial supremacy, finality, executory, and ultimate authority of the apex Court, is definitively binding on all other lower courts.

“The determination of the Supreme Court on any matter generally can not be appealed. Therefore, the apex court, having earlier set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court, which Gabam’s
latest request to INEC is contingent, renders it an exercise in futility.

“Considering that the Party held successfully, on Wednesday, July 9, 2026, its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, the second in four months, which is a clear departure from the immediate past where the party was held hostage by a one-man rule wherein its constitution was suspended for over three years, the party, with its members at all levels – national and sub-national, are firmly resolved and united to grow and strengthen it as a public institution, and a ceritable vehicle for national transformation.”

Continuing the statement said,”SDP has gloriously moved away from impunity and leadership recklessness, which the Gabam era represented, towards stability, democratic and ethical leadership.

“The SDP, having successfully completed the nomination process of Prince Adewole Adebayo, as its presidential candidate, and Dr. Usman Bugaje, the Vice-Presidential candidate, by uploading their names and documents, is currently working round the clock to meet its target of uploading all its other candidates who emerged from the primaries that were conducted across the states.

“As a frontline national political party, which Nigerians look up to and count on as a credible alternative political platform to move the country out of the woods, the SDP is currently working on some fundamentals, by reviewing and strengthening its structures at both national and sub-national levels; scaling-up its membership base; sanitizing it’s systems; enthrenching checks and balance in its administrative framework; reinforcing internal democracy mechanism, and enhancing the culture of accountability, while optimising its operations for enhanced service delivery.

“Having moved beyond the distraction of Shehu Musa Gabam, the Party is focused on strongly building and reinforcing its capacity for victory ahead of the 2027 general elections, and will continue to work for democratic consolidation and promote the true interest of Nigeria.”

By Our Correspondent

The Social Democratic Party, SDP, has expressed commitment to party unity, internal reforms and preparations for the 2027 general election after its second National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja Thursday.

National Chairman, Professor Sadiq Gombe, said the party had made significant progress within four months by holding two NEC meetings, conducting its National Convention, electing Prince Adewole Adebayo as its presidential candidate, conducting primary elections and strengthening its structures across the country.

He praised INEC for its cooperation and said the party remained committed to the rule of law, insisting the SDP had no faction and that disciplinary actions against former officials followed due process.

Professor Gombe urged members to remain united and strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.

In his remarks, the National Secretary of the party, Dr. Olu Agunloye, said the party had reviewed its structures, updated its constitution, improved its membership register and introduced new administrative procedures to strengthen accountability.

He added that the next phase of reforms would focus on building strong polling unit structures and training polling agents ahead of future elections.

Also speaking, Vice National Chairman South of the party, Senator Ugochukwu Uba urged members to remain united, saying the party’s manifesto focuses on the welfare and security of Nigerians.

In his goodwill message, Mr. Solomon Akwashiki also expressed confidence that the SDP would win more elective positions in 2027.

Chairman of the SDP State Chairmen Forum, Femi Olaniyi, urged party leaders to strengthen structures at the state, local government and ward levels, while encouraging voter registration, PVC collection and membership drives.

In her vote of thanks, the National Woman Leader, Saadatu Abdullahi called for greater participation of women in the party’s leadership and decision-making, noting that she had previously proposed the inclusion of state and zonal women leaders in the National Executive Committee.