Politics
Pat Utomi Forms Shadow Govt • It’s an Abberation – FG
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said, “At a time when our nation is set to celebrate 26 unbroken years of presidential democracy, the idea of a so-called “shadow government” is an aberration
Human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, was named head of the Ombudsman and Good Governance portfolio.
Prof. Pat Utomi, has inaugurated a shadow government composed of members from various opposition parties.
A shadow government is individuals or an organization providing counsel to government officials without being publicly accountable.
Human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, was named head of the Ombudsman and Good Governance portfolio.
Others appointed to the policy delivery unit include Oghene Momoh, Cheta Nwanze, Daniel Ikuonobe, Halima Ahmed, David Okonkwo, and Obi Ajuga.
Other members of the shadow cabinet include Dr. Adefolusade Adebayo, Dr. Peter Agadah, Dr. Sadiq Gombe, Chibuzor Nwachukwu, Salvation Alibor, Bilkisu Magoro, Dr. Victor Tubo, Charles Odibo, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, Eunice Atuejide, Gbenga Ajayi, and Dr. Mani Ahmad, as well as Peter Oyewole and Dr. Omano Edigheji.
Utomi said that the “Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government,” launched virtually on Monday evening, will function as a credible opposition force, highlighting the failures of the Bola Tinubu administration while offering ideas for better governance.
Utomi, however, justified the move, arguing that policy missteps by the current Federal Government had worsened poverty, driven multinational companies out of the country, and intensified terrorism in Benue and Plateau states, alongside rising insecurity and corruption nationwide.
The political activist expressed concern over what he described as the government’s resort to propaganda and the suppression of opposing views.
“The recent spate of defections to the All Progressives Congress provides further evidence that all is not well with democracy in Nigeria,” he said.
“The imperative is that if a genuine opposition does not courageously identify the performance failures of incumbents, offer options, and influence culture in a counter direction, it will be complicit in subverting the will of the people.”
He said the shadow cabinet—made up of figures drawn from several opposition parties—was created to respond to what he called a national emergency.
“Today, I bring to this pioneer body the desperate cries of a people troubled by how their reality seems bound for serfdom.
I challenge you to awaken these people who wrongly believe that everything is fine as long as they can manage a share of what little still trickles down from crude oil sales,” Utomi said.
Utomi stated that the shadow government would hold weekly cabinet meetings to assess government policies and propose practical alternatives.
He identified immediate priorities as the stimulation of production, the formulation of a coherent economic growth strategy, decentralisation of security, and constitutional reform.
The cabinet, he said, would also focus on providing alternatives in healthcare, education, infrastructure development, law and order, and policy monitoring.
However , in a swift reaction, the Federal Government kicked against the move, describing it as an aberration in a federal system of government.
In an interview with the Punch, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said, “At a time when our nation is set to celebrate 26 unbroken years of presidential democracy, the idea of a so-called “shadow government” is an aberration.”
Politics
President Tinubu sweeps 2027 APC Presidential ticket
The APC presidential ticket for the 2027 election is being contested by the incumbent President, and a businessman Stanley Osifo, prompting the party to conduct direct primaries to determine its flagbearer.
• Polls Rivers 280,082 vote •Osun 100,800 • Lagos 4,996
Incumbent President Bola Tinubu on Saturday recorded landslides victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary elections across major Nigerian states.
The APC presidential ticket for the 2027 election is being contested by the incumbent President, and a businessman Stanley Osifo, prompting the party to conduct direct primaries to determine its flagbearer.
The results from the direct primaries that were announced by states collation officers and tracked by ohibaba.com, shows that President Tinubu swept the majority votes.
Rivers State: Governor Siminalayi Fubara, declared that President Tinubu won the Rivers APC presidential primary with 280,082 vote whereas the only APC presidential contender in the race, Stanley Osifo, scored zero vote.
In Lagos, President Tinubu also polled 4,996 votes at his Ward L2 in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Tinubu emerged overwhelmingly ahead in the exercise conducted at Ireti Nursery and Primary School, Mekwen Street, Off Queens Drive, Ikoyi, where party members gathered in large numbers to participate in the direct primary.
In Osun State, the President polled 100,880 votes to win the exercise against his opponent, Mr Stanley Osifo, who polled zero votes.
Declaring the result of the exercise in Osogbo on Saturday, the Osun State collation officer, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, who is the minister of marine and blue economy, commended party members for their peaceful conduct during the exercise.
He said that the party has 109,806 digitally registered members, out of which 100,880 were accredited for the exercise.
His words, “By the powers vested in me as the Collation Officer for Osun State, I hereby declare His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, as the winner of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Primary Election 2026 in Osun State.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cleared a total of 705 aspirants to contest various elective positions in the 2027 general elections as its primaries set to begin on Monday.
According to the party, 513 aspirants were cleared for the House of Representatives, while 80 were cleared for the Senate.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, who disclosed this in a terse update, said the number of aspirants cleared for the various State Houses of Assembly is still being compiled by the state chapters of the party.
“Until the secretariat gets the full reports from the states, it would be difficult to give the figures for the State Assemblies,” the party stated.
The development indicates a significant level of interest within the ADC ahead of the 2027 polls, as the party positions itself as a major contender in the political space.
Politics
APC Presidential Primary: Massive turnout as Amosun, Gov Abiodun, Adeola join party faithfuls at wards, commend exercise
President Tinubu commended party members, governors and officials for the orderly conduct of the exercise across the country.
Photo: President Bola Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the APC presidential primary at his new ward in Ikoyi,Lagos
Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, Former Governor of the State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Consensus governorship candidate, Senator Olamilekan Adeola have hailed the conduct of the Presidential Primary of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the State.
The APC Chieftains at their various wards across the 20 local governments area of the State, joined the mammoth APC faithfuls crowd who gathered on a straight line through option A4, affirmed the candidacy of President Bola Tinubu as the Presidential candidate of APC in the coming 2027 general elections.
While speaking at their various locations, they described the massive turnout as a special and a demonstration that Nigerians are for President Tinubu and APC.
They also commended the peaceful conduct of the primary.
Earlier, President Bola Tinubu described the exercise as peaceful, transparent and a demonstration of internal democracy.
Tinubu spoke after participating in the exercise held at Ward L2, Ikoyi II, Ireti Primary School, Mekunwen Street, Ikoyi, Eti-Osa Local Government, Lagos, where thousands of party members had gathered for the presidential primary election.
President Tinubu commended party members, governors and officials for the orderly conduct of the exercise across the country.
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