Wednesday, May 20, 2026
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Otti Dismisses APC Defection Rumours

In a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma, the governor clarified that he neither held any meeting with Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State nor discussed plans to join the APC.

“The report that His Excellency, Governor Alex Otti, OFR, held a meeting with Governor Hope Uzodinma over his alleged planned defection to the APC is completely devoid of substance and should be disregarded,” Ekeoma said.

“It is natural for Governor Otti’s impressive performance, popularity and towering credentials as the Governor of Abia State to attract admiration and permutations from interested parties.

“However, Governor Otti’s political decisions, especially those that would have a huge impact and far-reaching consequences on Abians, would always be taken in conjunction with the majority of Abians and his allies,” the statement read.

Ekeoma stressed that any major political move by Governor Otti must be justified and demonstrably in the overriding interest of the Abia people.

Culled from: Channels News

He explained that following the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday, 24 April, Governor Otti, alongside a few of his colleagues, had attended the birthday celebration of Governor Uzodinma’s twin daughters – a purely social event unconnected to politics.

Hot this week

NNPC Limited Alerts Public to False Claims Over Refinery Scrap Sales 

 In its release signed by Andy Odeh, its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, the company clarified that it has not authorized or issued requests for bids, tenders, expressions of interest, or approvals concerning the sale of scrap materials, refinery components, or other items from its warehouses or inventories. The company underscored that any information circulating in public forums suggesting otherwise is inaccurate and should be disregarded. 

Supreme Court Cancels PDP Convention; BoT Assumes Leadership 

In a dramatic turn on Thursday, the apex court invalidated the November 15–16, 2025 convention held in Ibadan, which produced the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC). The ruling also upheld the suspension of key party officials, including Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature and Kamaldeen Ajibade. 

Opposition Parties Unite in Ibadan, Vow Single Candidate for 2027

Opposition political parties in Nigeria on Saturday resolved to form a united front ahead of the 2027 general elections, including plans to field a single presidential candidate, as they accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of undermining democracy. The resolution, contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a national summit in Ibadan, warned against what participants described as attempts by the APC to impose a one-party state on the country. The parties pledged to “resist all machinations” that could threaten Nigeria’s multi-party system.

White House Correspondents’ Dinner Interrupted by Shooting Incident 

Just after 8:30 p.m., while President Trump and Melania Trump were engaging with entertainer Oz Pearlman on stage, a man, later identified as Cole Tomas Allen, sprinted through a security checkpoint carrying a shotgun. Secret Service agents pursued and exchanged gunfire with him, quickly subduing Allen before he could reach the ballroom. Inside, guests enjoying their salads were startled by loud, cracking sounds, leading to confusion and panic as armed law enforcement swept in and shouted for everyone to get down. 

President Tinubu Felicitates NNPC Board Chair Musa Kida at 65

President Tinubu Felicitates NNPC Board Chair Musa Kida at 65

Topics

NNPC Limited Alerts Public to False Claims Over Refinery Scrap Sales 

 In its release signed by Andy Odeh, its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, the company clarified that it has not authorized or issued requests for bids, tenders, expressions of interest, or approvals concerning the sale of scrap materials, refinery components, or other items from its warehouses or inventories. The company underscored that any information circulating in public forums suggesting otherwise is inaccurate and should be disregarded. 

Supreme Court Cancels PDP Convention; BoT Assumes Leadership 

In a dramatic turn on Thursday, the apex court invalidated the November 15–16, 2025 convention held in Ibadan, which produced the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC). The ruling also upheld the suspension of key party officials, including Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature and Kamaldeen Ajibade. 

Opposition Parties Unite in Ibadan, Vow Single Candidate for 2027

Opposition political parties in Nigeria on Saturday resolved to form a united front ahead of the 2027 general elections, including plans to field a single presidential candidate, as they accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of undermining democracy. The resolution, contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a national summit in Ibadan, warned against what participants described as attempts by the APC to impose a one-party state on the country. The parties pledged to “resist all machinations” that could threaten Nigeria’s multi-party system.

White House Correspondents’ Dinner Interrupted by Shooting Incident 

Just after 8:30 p.m., while President Trump and Melania Trump were engaging with entertainer Oz Pearlman on stage, a man, later identified as Cole Tomas Allen, sprinted through a security checkpoint carrying a shotgun. Secret Service agents pursued and exchanged gunfire with him, quickly subduing Allen before he could reach the ballroom. Inside, guests enjoying their salads were startled by loud, cracking sounds, leading to confusion and panic as armed law enforcement swept in and shouted for everyone to get down. 

President Tinubu Felicitates NNPC Board Chair Musa Kida at 65

President Tinubu Felicitates NNPC Board Chair Musa Kida at 65

We Are Better Together: A Caution to the Advocates of Separation

It must first be clearly stated that the North’s preference for Nigerian unity is not because it is incapable of standing on its own, nor because it is uniquely dependent on the present federal arrangement for its existence. Historically, the North demonstrated a strong capacity for political cohesion and governance under the regional system, where the Caliphate produced the Premier and the Sultanate provided the Governor. With a vast, geographically contiguous landmass, a dominant lingua franca and largely shared religious and cultural frameworks, a substantial part of Northern Nigeria has historically functioned as a coherent political space.

PDP Disputes Ibadan Court, Affirms NWC Validity 

The PDP chairman noted that the Ibadan ruling was only one of several judgments of the Federal High Court on the matter and that the core issues were already before the Court of Appeal. He described the decision as “technically academic” pending an authoritative pronouncement by the appellate court. Turaki reassured party members that the National Working Committee produced by the Ibadan Convention remained “legally intact and firmly in place,” and committed to what he described as the party’s ongoing rebirth.

A Setback for Wike in PDP Crisis 

While the Supreme Court’s earlier intervention briefly revived Anyanwu’s standing, Tuesday’s dismissal signals that legal victories alone may no longer be enough to secure long-term control. The struggle within the PDP is increasingly shifting from courtrooms to internal political negotiations, and in that arena, the momentum appears to be slipping away from the Wike camp.
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