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JUST IN: APC backs Tinubu as Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai intensify coalition talks

Published

1 year ago

March 21, 2025

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The 2023 presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, along with former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, have announced the formation of a coalition of opposition leaders to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

The former Vice President confirmed this while responding to a question on behalf of the opposition leaders, during a press conference on Thursday at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.

There have been increasing discussions recently on whether opposition parties should form a coalition to defeat President Bola Tinubu.

Atiku has repeatedly stressed the importance of unity among opposition parties.

In his latest remarks on March 8, the 2023 PDP presidential candidate revealed that he was working to unite opposition parties in a coalition to remove the All Progressives Congress from power.

After El-Rufai’s move from the APC to the SDP on March 10, conversations among opposition parties and leaders gained significant traction.

Atiku, accompanied by opposition leaders on Thursday, declared that the gathering marked the beginning of the coalition.

He stated, “Yes, this is the birth of the coalition of opposition ahead of 2027.”

The former Governor of Anambra State, Obi, also supported Atiku’s statement, emphasising that the coalition aimed at the liberation of the Nigerian people.

Obi, represented by Yunusa Tanko, the Interim National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, stated that Nigerians would see more of the coalition addressing governance issues.

He stated “Yes, His Excellency Peter Obi and former Vice President are together on this.

The idea of plans for a dialogue among the opposition is very important. It is established that we need to work together as a team; there’s no doubt about it, even the former Anambra State Governor himself has said it before.

“But the only thing he emphasised is that it must be based on a programme to emancipate the Nigerian people, and that is exactly what we have just started.

“Our democracy has been attacked morally, with indignity and a level of disdain. That was exactly what was shown in that particular pronouncement against the Rivers State government and we will not stand as democrats to continue witnessing such a bizarre show of power and an unacceptable level of disdain against the Nigerian people.

“So, Nigerians should expect to see this coalition, especially when it comes to the issues that affect the lives of the Nigerian people—issues like power supply, security, and the level of disdain with which our educational systems are moving. All of this will be issue-based.”

When questioned about the party, he responded, “It will be announced.

”Other opposition leaders present at the press conference were former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties, Peter Ameh, and the Convener of The Alternative, Segun Showunmi, among others.

Among those involved in the coalition, but whose apologies for absence were noted, are leaders from the ruling APC, including former governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), and the immediate past National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Adamu.

Ameh stated that talks about the coalition had intensified.

He disclosed that the coalition effort involved politicians from various opposition parties.

He, however, said no decision had yet been made regarding the name or platform on which the coalition would be based.

He stated “As the former Vice President mentioned, the press conference signals the birth of the coalition.

The discussions have intensified, and we will continue to engage with political leaders and parties.

“As of now, we have not yet decided on the name or platform for the coalition. However, discussions are ongoing regarding both. It will be announced once we reach a conclusion and agreement.”

The PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, urged party leaders to remain flexible as the coalition discussions take centre stage.

Osadolor stated that it was in the best interest of both the PDP and Nigeria as a whole to ensure the APC was removed from power in 2027.

He stated “Well, my advice to the leaders of the PDP is that they should not be too static or too rigid.

They should also learn to be flexible and accommodating because they are the big brother of all the other opposition parties in this country.

“Therefore, they should be able to shift some ground to accommodate and make the coalition a major talking point.

News

Police confirm Kogi APC Chairman’s Murder by Bandits

Yunusa’s vehicle was reportedly intercepted by the suspected bandits during a kidnapping operation along the Itobe–Ochadamu Expressway, around Ojuwo Olijo in Ofu Local Government Area of the state, on Thursday, August 27, 2026.

Published

30 minutes ago

August 28, 2026

OCHEFA

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•Ishaq Yunusa

Kogi State Police Command on Friday confirmed the murder of the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, Ishaq Yunusa.

Yunusa was killed in an attack by suspected bandits.

His death has thrown family members, friends and APC supporters into mourning, with calls for the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

The Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Friday.

She said the attack occurred at about 5 p.m. on Thursday when armed assailants emerged from the surrounding bush and opened sporadic fire on motorists.

According to the police, security agencies are intensifying operations in the area, while personnel are combing the surrounding forests in a bid to rescue any abducted victims and track down those responsible for the attack.

The command says efforts are ongoing to restore security along the affected route.

News

President Tinubu Orders Comprehensive Forensic Audits of MDAs, IPPIS

The exercise will establish the nature and extent of weaknesses in Government’s control system, and determine how such weaknesses have been exploited.

Published

41 minutes ago

August 28, 2026

OCHEFA

4 Views

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, to oversee and coordinate a comprehensive forensic audit of Federal Government systems.

The audit will include a review of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), Federal Government agencies, and their administration and internal controls.

Bayo Onanuga,Special Adviser to the President(Information & Strategy), in a press release on Friday, said that President Tinubu’s directive follows the Federal Executive Council’s resolution on August 19, 2026, in response to findings by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on “fake agencies”, ghost workers, and other control failures.

The exercise will establish the nature and extent of weaknesses in Government’s control system, and determine how such weaknesses have been exploited.

The review will comprise two interconnected components. The first will focus on a forensic audit of Government systems, particularly IPPIS and related payroll, personnel, pension and financial-management platforms.

It will examine reported cases of ghost workers and payroll fraud, reconcile the figures identified by the ICPC, trace how fictitious or ineligible persons were enrolled, and review access, identity, biometric and bank-account controls.

The exercise will also examine the interfaces between IPPIS and other government platforms, including GIFMIS, Remita, the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and Sub-TSA, to determine whether fraud resulted from system defects, process failures, inadequate segregation of duties or deliberate circumvention.

The second component of the audit will cover all Federal Government agencies, departments, commissions, councils, parastatals and other government bodies.

It will establish a definitive inventory of such bodies and verify their legal basis, while examining how entities obtain official recognition, budgetary consideration, correspondence privileges, office facilities and access to government systems.

The exercise will assess governance, procurement, internal-audit, and oversight controls across Government to close systemic weaknesses that could allow irregular entities or persons to access public resources.

President Tinubu directed that the exercise be conducted with the highest standards of independence, professionalism and forensic integrity.

The audit team will have access to relevant government systems and records. It will collaborate with the ICPC to ensure that the review complements all ongoing investigations, prosecutions and recoveries.

President Tinubu expects the exercise to go beyond identifying individual cases of fraud or administrative failure by strengthening the architecture of Government, closing systemic loopholes, improving data verification and reconciliation, reinforcing accountability, and ensuring that only duly constituted entities and eligible personnel have access to Government resources.

The exercise underscores the President’s commitment to strengthening transparency, accountability, fiscal governance and institutional integrity across the Federal Government.