Headlines
Obaseki, Oshiomhole Face-off: Presidency Speaks
The Presidency has said the All Progressives Congress is capable of handling the crisis in its Edo State chapter.
The Presidency’s position came on Sunday, barely 24 hours after the raging political dispute between the National Chairman of the party, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, and the Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, turned violent on Saturday.
Before Saturday’s attacks, violence broke out in Ivbaro, in the Owan East Local government area of Edo State as an armed group alleged to be from the state government attacked the meeting of the Edo Peoples Movement, holding in the residence of an APC chieftain, Ibrahim Bawa.
Several persons were injured and property worth millions of naira were also destroyed.
On Saturday, some rampaging youths had attacked the convoy of Obaseki, shattering the windscreens of some vehicles.
While Oshiomhole blamed the state Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, for the attack, the later denied involvement in the attack.
The attack had taken place at Oshiomhole’s Iyambo country home when the governor was driving to the national chairman’s house in company with the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu; and the Pro-Chancellor of the Edo University, Prof T.O.K. Audu.
The governor and the Lagos monarch were said to have visited Oshiomhole’s house to honour an invitation to have lunch with the APC national chairman after they had attended the maiden convocation of the university.
Presidential spokesperson, Mr Garba Shehu, responding to enquiries by The PUNCH on Sunday on what was the Presidency’s reaction, simply said, “Let them go and talk to the party.”
Shehu declined further comments on whether it was necessary for President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the crisis.
However, a Presidency source told the The PUNCH that Buhari would not be personally involved in everything as there were organs responsible for performing certain duties.
The source said, “The President doesn’t have to be everywhere; he is not like some others; Buhari is different. “
Meanwhile, the attack on the monarch and Obaseki attracted further criticisms on Sunday. The Edo State Chairman of the APC, Anslem Ojezua, described the incident as disgraceful.
Ojezua, in an interview with The PUNCH, said “If they thought they wanted to bring disgrace to the governor of the state, I think they have succeeded in bringing that to the national chairman.”
On his part, a former Political Adviser to Oshiomhole, Charles Idahosa, said, “The incident was an embarrassment to Edo State, Nigeria and an embarrassment to democracy. Oshiomhole and I were in government for eight years. I was his political adviser and we were in opposition. There was nothing he did not say to the late Chief Tony Anenih and the Peoples Democratic Party.
“The fact that Oshiomhole as a national chairman, should write a petition asking the police to come and pick the APC members from Edo is an abnormality.”
But a group, Edo Youth Volunteers through its coordinator, Anthony Osagie, said the incident was provoked by the action of Shaibu, and Oshiomhole should not be blamed for the incident.
He said “I am shocked that people are talking about Oshiomhole and the incident in his house and they are not talking about the actions that led to the incident. Our investigations showed that Oshiomhole actually told his aides that he was expecting some visitors and dropped the names of the people he was expecting.”
The Punch
Veteran journalist and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Dele Momodu, has declared that a joint presidential ticket between Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi represents the strongest strategy for the opposition to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Momodu said the emerging ADC coalition is gaining momentum as a credible alternative to President Bola Tinubu’s administration, which he accused of promoting “one-man rule” and weakening democratic institutions.
Momodu argued that an Atiku–Obi ticket offers both experience and electoral appeal, noting that both politicians already command significant national followings from previous elections. He recalled their collaboration in 2019, adding that Obi’s performance in the 2023 presidential election provides a ready base of supporters that can be consolidated.
According to him, the coalition is further strengthened by the involvement of political heavyweights such as Rabiu Kwankwaso and Rotimi Amaechi, making it a formidable opposition alliance.
“The candidates who placed second, third, and even fourth are aligning. That naturally builds a strong challenge,” Momodu said, suggesting that this development could unsettle the APC ahead of 2027.
He also accused the Tinubu administration of centralising power and undermining democratic processes, claiming that key institutions—including the legislature and electoral system—are increasingly influenced by the executive arm of government. He warned that such a trend poses risks to Nigeria’s democracy.
Momodu further alleged that opposition parties face systemic obstacles, including difficulties in accessing venues, legal pressures, and institutional interference. He argued that these challenges have made opposition unity not just strategic, but necessary.
Dismissing concerns about possible cracks within the ADC coalition, Momodu described such fears as speculative, insisting that current political realities have effectively forced major opposition figures to work together.
The Supreme Court has scheduled hearing for April 22 in the appeal filed by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, in relation to the leadership dispute in the party.
Mark’s appeal is against the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his appeal against the September 4, 2025 ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja refusing to grant some injunctive reliefs contained in an ex-parte application filed by a chieftain of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe.
A five-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba chose the date on Tuesday after granting accelerated hearing in the appeal marked: SC/CV/180/2026.
The court ordered Mark’s lawyer, Jibril Okutepa (SAN) to file the appellant’s brief and serve on Wednesday.
It ordered the respondents to each file and serve on the appellant, a respondent’s brief within three days of being served with the appellant’s brief.
The appellant, according to the court, is to file a reply brief, if needs be, within one day of being served with the respondents’ briefs.
Headlines
Amid Denials, ADC Reportedly Secures Rainbow Event Centre As Venue for National Convention
Baring any last minute change, the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as National chairman and National Secretary respectively will hold the party’s National convention at the National Rainbow Event Centre in Garki on Tuesday, 14 April 2026.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has being denied two venues without any cogent reasons despite early arrangements, according to sources.
First, it was alleged that the Abuja Transcorp Hilton Hotels, which was initially approached, turned down the ADC request to use it’s facility.
The ADC, having sensed sabotage, has kept the Rainbow Event Center under rap as it’s definite venue.
The last National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party was held at the same venue.
Located adjacent the Nigerian Police Force Headquarters, the event centre will host the second NEC meeting of the ADC and it’s forthcoming national convention.
According to The Guardian’ report, the ADC leadership has communicated the venue to state chapters with the caveat not to escalate it.
The ADC is in a battle of survival against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and has approached the Supreme Court for intervention.
The INEC national chairman Prof Joash Amupitan has suspended recognition of the David Mark-led ADC rendering a leadership vacuum in the party.
INEC said it’s decision was on the basis of an Appeal Court pronouncement that ordered statusquo ante-bellum be maintained.
Reports say that why the venue is being quietly decorated moderately for the event, the ADC intends to fully move in the early hours of Tuesday.
The Guardian
