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Buhari in Ebonyi, Told to Release Nnamdi Kanu
South-East leaders have told President Muhammadu Buhari to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
The Igbo leaders made the request in an address during a meeting with Buhari at the Executive Council Chambers, New Government House Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State.
Chairman of South-East Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Charles Mkpuma, read the address.
Buhari was received by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State and some governors of the APC, including the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo and his counterpart from Jigawa, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar were also on a solidarity visit to welcome the president to Ebonyi.
The president would conclude his visit to Ebonyi with a closed-door meeting with the South-East leaders in Abakaliki before departing for Abuja on Friday.
Ohanaeze had in a statement on Tuesday said Buhari’s two-day working visit to Ebonyi would kick-start the process to get Nnamdi Kanu released.
The statement read, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has given assurances of peace and security ahead of the planned presidential visit to Ebonyi State.
“This is part of the resolutions reached at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elders council meeting held in Abakiliki on Tuesday 3rd May 2022.
“For translucence and clarity of purpose, President Muhammadu Buhari has been fair to Ndigbo with federal projects irrespective of the fact that his party’s declined fortunes and acceptance in 2015 and 2019 elections in the southeast, but the Chairman of Southeast Governors and Ebonyi Governor, Engr Dave Nweze Umahi has brought good tidings and paid huge sacrifices for Ndigbo to access the presidency and attract federal government’s projects and attention to the southeast zone.
“The Elders council was presided over by Prince Dr Richard Ozobu insisted that this is the best opportunity for Igbo leaders with the southeast Governors to dialogue with President Buhari over the release of the Ipob leader Mazi Nnamdi Kalu.
“Ndigbo expectations are that such windows of opportunities must be fully utilized for positive results as President Buhari will be received warmly by Ndigbo, this will be one of the most remarkable visits of Mr President to the southeast, as we except that the President’s two days working visit to Ebonyi state will change the narratives that Buhari loves Ndigbo, and he will prove it by kick-starting the process that will release Nnamdi Kanu”.
“IPOB and other Biafra Agitators should hold their peace and remain loyal to the procedure that will help them achieve the release of their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“Buhari’s visit will usher in fresh hopes of having a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction and secure the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
”We are conscious of the fact that IPOB is cognizant of the process of releasing their leader is ongoing, and their proper attitudes and conduct are expected to solidify the process of Kanu’s release.
“We are welcoming President Buhari with an open mind and wish him a pleasant stay in Ebonyi State.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election.
Oyebanji secured a landslide victory, polling 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challenger, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, who garnered 40,543 votes. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, came a distant third with 12,872 votes.
The election, held across all 16 local government areas of the state, was overshadowed by reports of irregularities and widespread allegations of vote buying, drawing strong condemnation from observers.
The official results were announced on Sunday morning by the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Adenike Oladiji, who declared Oyebanji duly elected after meeting the constitutional requirements.
In her declaration, Professor Oladiji stated: “I, Professor Adenike Oladiji, hereby certify that I am the Returning Officer for the Ekiti State Governorship Election held on June 20, 2026, and that the election was conducted in compliance with the provisions of the law. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress, having satisfied the requirements of the law and scored the highest number of valid votes cast, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.”
Source: Reuters
Arise Television anchor, Rufai Oseni, has alleged that there may be attempts to prevent key opposition figures, including Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, from appearing on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.
Oseni’s remark followed a Federal High Court judgment ordering the de-registration of some political parties.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples’ Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance Party (AAP) over alleged constitutional breaches.
The judgment arose from a lawsuit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which argued that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional and statutory electoral performance requirements necessary for continued recognition as political parties.
Justice Lifu subsequently barred INEC from recognising the affected parties, accepting nominations from them or permitting them to participate in activities related to the 2027 general elections.
The ruling, if upheld, could affect the political ambitions of several politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the ADC presidential flag-bearer, and Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party.
But speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, Oseni described the court ruling as a “test” of public reaction, warning that more actions could follow ahead of the next general election.
According to him, opposition parties such as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, should be cautious, claiming that efforts could be made to stop major figures from participating in the election.
Oseni argued that the judgment was part of a broader process aimed at shaping the political landscape ahead of 2027.
He maintained that the ruling came despite some of the affected parties having recorded electoral victories in recent elections.
He warned that Nigerians must remain vigilant to safeguard the country’s democracy, stressing the need for judicial reforms alongside efforts to tackle insecurity.
Oseni said: “NDC, ADC should be careful because there will be attempt, and this is me predicting now, to ensure that Obi, Atiku and other big contenders are not on the ballot.
“This that you saw yesterday is just a test. This is not the real place where the whole thing is going. This is me predicting now.
“You know before you have a show you test the microphone. They want to see the reactions of Nigerians. More is still coming.
“You can see how they carry a judgement when ADC won two House of Representatives seats in Kogi, one Kogi House of Assembly seat, APP one chairmanship seat in Jigawa, Zenith Labour party won several seats in Abia, but they still went ahead and issued judgement for deregistration after the Court of Appeal, a higher court, said it should stay on that.
“If we want to deal with this judicial rascality, can I tell you something? The judge that gave this judgment, nothing will happen to him. Nothing on this earth. They are just coming.
“And who is leading this group? Gbajabiamila. Have you forgotten what Gbajabiamila said on Hon Ajibade’s birthday? So they are just coming. This one is just a test. The next one they will do is the NDC.
“With the way they’re going, if Nigerians don’t shine their eyes when they will finally have this election, you will not have the major contenders in the ballot. This thing they have just done is to test reactions from Nigerians.
“I saw this thing coming. You know we are going into an election in which Atiku Abubakar is the only major candidate from the North. It’s not like the last one you have Kwankwaso that can split the Kano votes. And you have Peter Obi and general consensus that a lot of people are in abject penury, insecurity is raging hard.
“This is the beginning of many things. They are just testing the microphone. It’s engineered. More is coming. Nigerians, it is you that will save your democracy. Judicial reforms have become so important as insecurity in Nigeria.”
