The winner of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primary in Ekiti State, Dr Wole Oluyede, has confirmed plans to appeal the Federal High Court’s nullification of the exercise, describing the ruling as unjust and procedurally flawed.

Through his lawyer, Owoseni Ajayi, Oluyede stated that an appeal will be filed promptly, along with a request for a stay of execution, to prevent the immediate conduct of a fresh primary.

He emphasised his determination to exhaust all legal avenues to have his candidacy recognised and his name restored to the list of eligible governorship candidates for the June 20, 2026 election.

The appeal comes after the Ado Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court, on Tuesday, invalidated the PDP primaries held on November 8, 2025.

Justice Babs Kuewumi ruled in favour of an aspirant, Funso Ayeni, who challenged the primary on the grounds that the party failed to present an authentic list of statutory and ad hoc delegates used in the exercise.

In his judgment, Justice Kuewumi ordered the PDP, in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a fresh primary in strict compliance with the law and the party’s constitution, allowing all eligible aspirants to participate.

While the court’s decision forms the legal basis for a new primary, Oluyede insisted that the ruling does not reflect the fairness and legality of the original exercise.

He argued that his victory at the primaries was legitimate and that the nullification undermines both internal democracy and the rights of party members.

Oluyede had earlier been excluded from INEC’s official list of governorship candidates published on December 29, 2025, a development he has vowed to contest vigorously.

“We will ensure that justice prevails and that Dr Oluyede’s rightful position as PDP’s governorship candidate is restored ahead of the 2026 election,” Ajayi said.

Ahead of the 2027 general election, there’s rising political tension in Abia State, with some opposition leaders in the State hell-bent on stopping Governor Alex Otti’s re-election.

The opposition figures, many of whom previously held power in the state, have threatened that Otti will not be reelected for a second term as governor in 2027.

These figures also have been holding political meetings and issuing public statements against Otti’s administration.

DAILY POST recalls that last week, two former Governors of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Chief Theodore Ahamefule Orji, alongside other former political leaders, said they have formed an alliance to unseat Governor Otti in the 2027 general election.

According to them, they intend to win all elective positions in Abia for the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The duo met in Umuahia and resolved to forge a common front they christened, ‘The Team,’ a platform for their political battle against Otti and other anti-APC interests.

In addition, the group signalled that it will institute a legal action against Otti for allegedly running Abia from his Nvosi country home instead of the Government House, Umuahia.

Kalu described the assembly as a platform for experienced leaders who want to reclaim their relevance in the state’s political landscape.

The Abia north senator rejected narratives portraying previous governments as ineffective, insisting that their legacies live on.

The former Abia governor said: “Leadership is a relay. I handed over to Senator T.A. Orji, who handed over to Okezie Ikpeazu. No single individual can claim we achieved nothing. If we did nothing, where would our people be today?”

Otti hasn’t done better, he’s repainting roads – Kalu 

While addressing journalists recently, Senator Kalu accused governor Otti of not doing much with the allocation the state is getting from the federal government.

He claimed that the governor was only repainting roads he (Kalu) built during his time as the state governor.

Kalu said he won’t work for Ottis’ reelection in 2027 even though he delivered for Otti in the last gubernatorial election in 2023.

He said: “I consider the Governor as my friend. And two years, I’ve never criticized. I never said anything, and they shot the first salvo. I replied by telling them that I will work for APC to win.

“We worked for him to have won 2023. We are not going to do that again. What is wrong with that? Is that why I should receive insults? It is not acceptable to me. I’m going to work for my party.

“If he has done better, I don’t know about that, because you can see that what I did in two years as a governor, the records are there for you to see. The money Otti receives in four months is what I received in eight years. That is the truth.

“He is just repainting and rebuilding the roads I built as a governor from 1999 and 2007. I’ve not seen any new major roads taking place.

“I’m in the Senate, and all the roads I’m doing in communities are brand new farmland roads.”

Opposition chasing shadows – Otti’s aide

Meanwhile, an aide to Governor Alex Otti, Rev. Fr. Christian Anokwuru, said the opposition plotting to unseat the governor in 2027 is merely chasing shadows.

Anokwuru, who is Special Adviser to the Governor on Policies and Interventions, said this recently during a news briefing in Umuahia, the state capital.

He was reacting to the spate of criticisms and media attacks against the governor by the leading opposition chieftains.

He entitled his speech, “Abia Opposition: Stop Tinubu Name-Dropping and Face the Fact!”

He said it was absurd for the old political leaders that allegedly ruined and underdeveloped the state to think they would return to power, riding on President Bola Tinubu’s might.

He mocked them for dropping the president’s name and banking on his achievements, rather than citing the legacies they left behind during their time as governors.

He said: “It is a long-established principle in both law and public life that anyone who demands equity must come with clean hands.

“This principle is particularly relevant in the current political climate in Abia state.

“When former executive governors and past political office holders, whose administrations are still fresh in the collective memory of the people, congregate to challenge the present administration of Alex Otti, the public is entitled to interrogate not just their claims, but also their credibility,” he said.

They are ganging up against Otti — Analyst

Speaking about the matter, a public affairs analyst and communication expert at Peaceland University, Enugu, Nduka Odo, said the growing opposition against Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, by former governors is driven largely by the protection of entrenched political and economic interests.

In an interview with DAILY POST, Odo described the development as unsurprising, noting that former governors Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu share a long-standing political lineage that ensured a smooth transition of power from one administration to another.

According to him, Otti’s emergence marked a departure from that pattern, as he came to office without the backing of his predecessor.

Odo argued that the former governors’ alliance against Otti is less about party politics or the welfare of Abia people, and more about personal interests threatened by the current administration’s policies.

He pointed out that under Otti, Abia became one of the few states to abolish the payment of salaries and allowances to former governors and their deputies, a benefit still enjoyed by ex-governors in many states across the country.

Odo said: “What’s happening in Abia state is not unexpected. Don’t blame the former governors who have vowed to unseat the incumbent governor. They are protecting their interests. And you can’t chastise a man for protecting their sources of livelihood. Kalu, Orji, and Ikpeazu all came from the same lineage. It was a smooth movement from one to the other. That’s unlike Otti, who emerged without the support of his predecessor.

“Why are the former governors teaming up against Otti? The answer is simple. They may say that it’s for the interest of the APC. They may say it’s for Abia people.

“Let’s go back a bit in time to fish out the answer. Under Alex Otti, Abia became one of the few states in Nigeria that stopped salaries and allowances for former governors and their deputies.

“This meant that in most states today, all former governors and their deputies collect the same salaries and allowances as the sitting executives.

“Isn’t this enough reason for them to team up against him? They can say he only paints roads. But Abia people are the right group to answer that question.

“So, I’m happy about what is happening in Abia. Any time you see all politicians in a state work together, trust me, development in that state will suffer.

“This attack from the former leaders on the incumbent will remind Otti that he still needs to do more. If wants the people to continue being by his side, he needs to continue tackling the needs of his people.”

Ex-Govs’ criticism means nothing — CRRAN President

Similarly, the President of the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network, CRRAN, Olu Omotayo, said Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, is delivering tangible development that is evident to the people, irrespective of criticisms from former governors.

Omotayo stated this in a chat with DAILY POST, where he argued that past administrations in many South-East states governed for themselves rather than for the people, a situation he said resulted in widespread underdevelopment across the region.

According to him, genuine development does not require constant government propaganda, stressing that it is the people who should testify to projects that directly affect their lives.

Omotayo noted that under Otti’s administration, residents of Abia State have openly acknowledged improvements in infrastructure and governance, which he described as the true measure of performance.

The CRRAN president dismissed criticisms from former governors, arguing that a comparison between their years in office and Otti’s achievements shows a clear difference in performance.

Omotayo, however, expressed concern over the impact of the nation’s economic hardship on voters’ behaviour, warning that widespread poverty could still influence electoral outcomes.

He said: “In the past, the people who have governed most of the southeast states believed that the government is for them but not for the people. This is because there is no development in most of the southeast states.

“When you are talking of development, you don’t need people in government to be telling you that there is development. ‘We are doing this, we are doing that.’

“It is the people that will be talking that this governor is doing this. He is doing road. They have done road to my village. They have done this.”

“So Alex Ottis’ government, you can see that people are pointing out that he has done this, he has done that. That implies there is development. We are not talking about parties. Are the people getting the dividend of democracy?

“We are not talking about the party. Is the man working? The populace are saying, yes, he has done this. He has done that. That’s the measurement of whether we have good governance.

“So what the man is doing over there is excellent. He’s investing in a lot of abandoned projects that have been abandoned in that state. It’s not just propaganda from the people who are with the governor.

“Irrespective of what the past governors in that state are saying, it doesn’t mean anything.

“Compare what they did in the past with what Otti is doing, it shows that what he has done surpasses what those people who are ganging up against him did in over 16 years of their time in that state.

“Everybody is seeing that. You don’t need any commissioner for information or any of the Governor’s state officials to be propagating that Governor has done this or that. It is the people that are saying this man has done well.

“The only thing is that, you know, because of the economy of the country, they have weaponized poverty. The economic power of people is very low.

“What I see is that people appreciate that a government is doing well. The only thing is that maybe during the election, maybe, if they give them money, they might, because of the poverty level, sell their vote,” he added.

They’re acting out of self-interest — Rights Group Convener

On his part, the Project Manager of Advocacy Partnership for Good Governance and Convener of the Office of the Citizens, Onyebuchi Igboke, questioned the basis of opposition against Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, describing it as a struggle between performance-driven governance and patronage politics.

Igboke told DAILY POST that Nigerian politics often rewards mediocrity and loyalty rather than measurable performance.

According to him, Otti represents a clear departure from that tradition, stressing that the governor’s achievements are visible and acknowledged even beyond Abia State.

Igboke further stated that Otti’s accomplishments in just over two years surpass what former governors Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu achieved during their combined 24 years in office.

The good governance advocate also suggested that some of the actions of the former governors may be motivated by personal interests, including the pursuit of political relevance, appointments and financial benefits at the federal level.

Igboke maintained that attempts to intimidate or discredit the incumbent governor would not succeed, insisting that Otti’s record in office remains his strongest defence.

He said: “I think any right thinking person will begin to wonder if we are celebrating mediocrity, or we are celebrating performance. Is politics of Nigeria based on performance, or is it based on patronage and eye service?

“These are two different dimensions. Because I think what Alex Otti represents is performance, even people that are not living in Abia State can attest to the tremendous job, you know, that is being carried out by the Governor.

“The masses are happy with him. His projects are visible. His performance within two years plus outweighs the 24 years of Orji Kalu, Theodore Orji, and Okezie Ikpeazu.

“I don’t know the moral basis or the performance index they are using to have that audacity.

“Some people have the opinion that what they are doing is just to get some financial benefit and other appointments from President Bola Tinubu.

“They know what they are doing deep inside them, they know. Their pursuit is self-serving.

“Orji Kalu just recently got his daughter nominated as ambassador. And we know that they have some corruption allegations against him, and some people felt that this is the only way he can do eye service.

“Any person trying to, you know, use any form of intimidation or what have you, he’s just wasting his time. That is it.”

The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals, JOHESU, has insisted on continuing its indefinite national strike in spite of the Federal Government’s ‘no work, no pay’ policy.

This is contained in a memo signed by the National Secretary of the union, Mr Martin Egbanubi, and addressed to presidents, general secretaries, and state chairmen of affiliate unions on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the union, the decision follows resolutions reached by its national leadership at an emergency virtual meeting held on Jan. 12 to review developments surrounding the industrial action.

It recalled that the Federal Government recently directed the implementation of the ‘no work, no pay’ policy and the stoppage of JOHESU members’ salaries through the Accountant-General of the Federation’s office.

The strike, JOHESU said, stemmed from its long-standing demand for the implementation of the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure, CONHESS, and other welfare-related issues.

The union stated that its national leadership reviewed reports from affiliates and congresses to assess the status of the strike nationwide.

It also reacted to a memo from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare directing chief medical directors and managing directors to enforce the policy.

JOHESU described the ‘no work, no pay’ policy as a common tool used to pressure workers when government delays the resolution of labour disputes.

The union said it had complied with all procedures outlined in the Trade Disputes Act before embarking on the industrial action.

It said that the action qualified as a lawful dispute of rights, and not a breach of industrial relations laws.

JOHESU urged members not to be discouraged, and called for sustained solidarity and commitment to the struggle.

The union said it would intensify monitoring, picketing, and media engagement while exploring strategies to achieve its demands.

Kebbi State Government has reopened the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, months after a deadly bandit attack in which 25 schoolgirls were abducted and the school’s vice principal was killed.

The mass abduction occurred in the early hours of Monday, November 17, 2025, when armed gunmen stormed the boarding school in Maga, Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state.

The assailants killed the school’s Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Yakubu Makuku, during the raid and abducted 25 students from their dormitory.

the abducted schoolgirls escaped on the day of the attack, while the remaining 24 were rescued on November 25, 2025, and reunited with their families following search and rescue operations by security forces.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Kebbi State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr Halima Bande, said confidence had been restored among parents, students and school officials through counselling and the deployment of security personnel, paving the way for the resumption of academic activities.

“The abducted students have been rescued, and confidence has been restored through counselling and the presence of security personnel.

This has paved the way for the resumption of academic activities at Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga,” she said.

Dr Bande said the reopening followed a security meeting with principals and heads of secondary schools held in Birnin Kebbi.

She disclosed that Governor Nasir Idris had directed the deployment of additional security measures to ensure the safety of students and staff across public schools in the state.

The commissioner said the government had rolled out security awareness programmes for school principals and personnel, noting that similar sensitisation sessions had been conducted in Zuru, Yauri, Jega, Bunza and Argungu, with the Birnin Kebbi meeting marking the final phase.

Bande emphasised that safeguarding schools is a collective responsibility, urging administrators, teachers and students to remain vigilant.

She also advised school leaders to strengthen collaboration with host communities and security agencies as part of proactive safety strategies.

The commissioner commended the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and the Department of State Services, DSS, for their role in sensitising school administrators on security awareness and preventive measures.

Edo State Police Command has released the first set of Ambrose Ali University, AAU, students.

The students, who were arrested over a protest were released to the Edo State Commissioner for Education, Paddy Iyamu on Monday evening.

Addressing journalists in Benin City, Iyamu said those released were found to be innocent.

According to the commissioner, some of the students took advantage of the protest to loot and maim.

He said: “One thing everybody needs to understand is that the governor of Edo State is the governor of everybody.

“Some persons that tagged themselves as students went on rampage and from protest it turned out to be a riot, stealing and maiming people, going into the palace of the King to steal his wife’s weavon and stealing Indomie. That is no longer a protest

“People should understand that those same people are part of Edo State and they will cry to the governor and of course, he is saddled with the responsibility of securing their lives and properties.

“The police did their job, carried out the raid and at the same end of the day, those not culpable should be released. That’s the instruction of the governor and that is what we are doing.

“Some people should learn to know that when there are issues we should look at them holistically. If someone calls himself a student and kills somebody, you should be brought to book.”