COURT TO UZODINMA: STOP PARADING YOURSELF AS APC SENATORIAL CANDIDATE

‎Justice Obiora Egwuatu of a Federal High Court in Abuja, has ordered the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma to stop parading himself as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Imo West Senatorial election slated for January 16, 2027.
‎
‎Justice Egwuatu issued the order after holding that Uzodinma did not win the May 18 primary election conducted by the APC and monitored by INEC.
‎
‎The judge in his judgment held that evidence presented before the court proved that former governor rochas Okorocha actually won majority of the votes cast at the poll and should be published winner of the election.
‎
‎Egwuatu subsequently ordered the APC to forward Okorocha’s name as candidate of the APC in the 2027 general elections for Imo West Senatorial election.
‎
‎Details later.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to formally flag off his 2027 re-election campaign this morning in Kaduna, North-West Nigeria, marking a critical early test of his support in the region that delivered the bulk of his votes in 2023.

The main event is scheduled for the Kaduna Township Stadium, with all seven North-West governors expected to attend. The Independent National Electoral Commission opened the official campaign window for the presidential and National Assembly elections on 19 August 2026; it runs until 15 January 2027. The presidential poll itself is set for 16 January 2027.

Kaduna was chosen as the launch venue despite lingering insecurity concerns, the political fallout from the detention of former governor Nasir el-Rufai, and the fact that Atiku Abubakar has historically performed strongly there. Party officials and analysts describe the state as a strategic northern hub—centrally located, historically significant as the former capital of the Northern Region, and home to a diverse population that draws people from across the North. Governor Uba Sani’s close ties with Tinubu and the practical constraints of other venues (Ahmadu Bello Stadium under construction and Murtala Square hosting a polo tournament) also influenced the decision. The smaller Township Stadium, with a capacity of around 10,000, has raised questions about expected turnout and security management.

The North remains the decisive electoral battleground. The 19 northern states plus the FCT account for roughly 54–56 million of Nigeria’s registered voters—more than half the national total. In 2023, the region supplied about 60 per cent of Tinubu’s winning votes. Vice-President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, northern governors, and groups such as Arewa for Asiwaju have publicly pledged even stronger backing this time, with some forecasting more than 70 per cent of northern votes for the president. They point to infrastructure projects, agricultural interventions, and the political understanding on power rotation as reasons for continuity.

At the same time, economic hardship, the cost-of-living crisis, and insecurity continue to fuel discontent. Chants of “Ba ma yi” (we will not) have been reported at some northern gatherings, and opposition figures including Atiku Abubakar (African Democratic Congress) and Peter Obi are actively competing for the same votes. Analysts note that while Tinubu retains institutional advantages and a network of governors, the region’s support is not automatic and will be tested by voters’ lived experience of reforms.

The Kaduna flag-off is widely seen as the moment full-scale campaigning begins in earnest across the country. How the president is received today—and the messages he delivers on security, the economy, and northern priorities—will set the tone for the contest ahead.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has announced plans to conduct fresh congresses to replace candidates, who have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party, in a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said it would immediately begin the process of electing new candidates in the affected constituencies , assuring that the development would not derail its preparations for the 2027 general election.

The NDC alleged that some of its candidates had been induced to defect to the APC through financial offers, political appointments and other material incentives.

It, however, did not identify the affected candidates or provide details of the alleged inducements.

Describing the defections as a setback that would not undermine its political objectives, the party said those who had left lacked the ideological commitment and values it expected of its members.

,