Politics

Busari-Akinnadeju Confirms DLA Refund of N10.8m Presidential Nomination Fee

” I thank the Nigerians who stood with me through the past week, who read, who watched, who shared, who wrote, and who made it impossible for this story to be treated as private.”

Published

4 months ago

June 3, 2026

OCHEFA

250 Views

Abisayo Busari-Akinnadeju has confirmed that the Democratic
Leadership Alliance (DLA) has refunded the Presidential nomination fee she paid to the Party in April 2026, in respect of her aspiration for the Office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 2027 general election.
The refund was received by bank transfer on 3rd of June 2026.

Mrs. Busari-Akinnadeju resigned from the DLA on 28 May 2026, citing, among other matters, the imposition of a
consensus candidate by means that did not comply with the Electoral Act 2026 and the use of a disciplinary process to remove her as a cleared aspirant when she would not endorse that
consensus.
In response to the refund, Mrs. Busari-Akinnadeju issued the following statement.
“I acknowledge receipt of NGN 10,800,000 of the Presidential nomination fee I paid in April 2026, and I note that a further NGN 1,200,000, also paid in April, remains outstanding.

I am grateful that the Party has chosen to do the right thing in this respect.”
“It is important, however, that the meaning of this refund is not misunderstood.
The return of the money does not return the integrity of the process. It is an
acknowledgement that the original collection was indefensible. It is not a remedy for what was done in the weeks between the collection and the return.”
“The systemic questions raised by my experience remain open. An intentional
attempt to debar me from being screened, a disciplinary action to complete the process after screening, the State Chairmen of the Party were directed not to attend the Presidential primary at the Headquarter, but to transmit figures to the National Secretariat so that a candidate could be produced by a purported
consensus.

The Electoral Act 2026 does not permit this without the written
consent of every cleared aspirant.

My removal, through a disciplinary process convened on three days notice and conducted without particulars, was the route by which that statutory obstacle was cleared.

Those facts are not undone by a bank transfer.”
“My concern is no longer about my own money. It is about the next aspirant, in
this Party or any other, whose money may not come back so quickly because
she does not have the standing or the platform to demand it.

The right to a fair
contest is not a privilege of the well-resourced. It is a constitutional entitlement of every Nigerian who participates in the political process, and it must be enforceable by every one of them.

“I thank the Nigerians who stood with me through the past week, who read, who watched, who shared, who wrote, and who made it impossible for this story to be treated as private.

The strength of public attention is what made this refund possible.

The same strength will be needed for the larger work.

“The Office of the Nigerian Citizen is open. The Dare Agenda is in motion. The country cannot wait until 2027, and I will not be waiting until then to do the work I am here to do.”

Mrs. Busari-Akinnadeju confirmed that she remains in non-partisan public life and that the citizens’ platform she announced on 29 May 2026, the Office of the Nigerian Citizen, continues its work under the Dare Agenda framework.

Up Next

Senate President Akpabio Denies Promising Tickets to Defeated Senators, Opposes Public Probe of Military

Don't Miss

2027 PRESIDENCY: Keyamo Has No Moral Authority to Advise Jonathan – PDP Fires Back

Click to comment

Politics

Again, Desmond Elliot begs political mentor,Gbajabiamila , “I’m sorry, Daddy”

The latest apology is not the first time Elliot has publicly sought forgiveness from Gbajabiamila over the political disagreement.

Published

1 week ago

September 14, 2026

OCHEFA

92 Views

“I’m sorry. I have no excuse; I have nothing other than to say I’m deeply sorry. I’m deeply sorry, sir. And in our culture, we prostrate. Don’t be angry, Daddy.”

The above statement was made by

Lagos State lawmaker and actor, Desmond Elliot, during a meeting with Femi Gbajabiamila, and other party chieftains in Lagos, where he went on his knees and prostrated before the Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Bola Tinubu

. In a video shared by Lagos Junction on X on Sunday, Elliot begged for forgiveness and reconciliation following his actions during the last All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election.

The lawmaker representing Surulere Constituency I in the Lagos State House of Assembly also reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC leadership and appealed for an end to any disagreement between him and Gbajabiamila.

The latest apology is not the first time Elliot has publicly sought forgiveness from Gbajabiamila over the political disagreement.

During an earlier appearance on TVC’s Your View, Elliot acknowledged that he may have offended his political mentor through his political engagements, while maintaining that any misunderstanding between them was not deliberate.

“I’m not saying, oh, yes, media will come out, oh yes, Desmond begs again. Yes, because he’s my egbon. And I grew up learning everything I knew in politics through him,” he said.

He added, “To err is human, to forgive is divine. So I’m sorry, my daddy, if I’ve offended you in any way.”

The dispute occurred amid the political tensions surrounding the Lagos State House of Assembly leadership crisis, during which Gbajabiamila said he faced difficulties at the Presidency over allegations concerning Elliot’s political activities.

Politics

I will concede defeat if 2027 election is credible — Obi

However, Obi maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, saying those who conducted the poll knew what happened.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 10, 2026

OCHEFA

140 Views

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has declared that he will concede defeat in the 2027 presidential election if the poll is free, fair and credible.

Obi stated this in an interview aired on Arise TV on Thursday, saying he would respect the will of Nigerians if they chose another candidate.

“If the election is free, fair and credible, I will because it’s an election. It’s the people that would say who they want to serve, and I will respect the will of the people; that’s democracy,” he said.

However, Obi maintained that he won the 2023 presidential election, saying those who conducted the poll knew what happened.

“I did, and I will maintain that as long as I live that I won the 2023 election. Those who conducted it know the records; they know why there was a glitch and what happened,” he said.

Fielding question on what about “turn-by-turn” presidency, Obi said elections should not be determined by tribe or religion.

“Election should not be driven by tribe or religion. Today, in terms of qualification, I’m qualified to be president of Nigeria. I have the competence; I have been all over the world studying what it takes to be president of a country, and I know what I can do to turn around this country in the right direction.”

Politics

Trump promises $5,000 ‘dividend’ to U.S. citizens if Republicans win midterms

It is estimated that the total proposed “Trump dividend” payout would cost more than $1 trillion — raising questions about how such an expense would be funded and its impact on fiscal strain facing the Federal budget.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 10, 2026

OCHEFA

122 Views

U.S. President Donald Trump has promised every adult American citizen a $5,000 “dividend” if the Republicans are victorious at the upcoming midterm elections.

Americans will vote in the midterms in early November, with the Democrats currently projected to win control of the House of Representatives.

Such a result would likely create barriers to Trump’s legislative agenda and send a signal about public opinion on the president’s policy mix throughout his second presidential term.

“Here is my promise: if the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them… because of our tremendous strength and success economically, I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000,” he told a crowd at the GOP’s midterm convention in Dallas.

“I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot,” he added.

The potential payout compares to the $1.27 trillion the U.S.