Abia State chapter of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, has called on two federal lawmakers, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Alex Mascot Ikwechegh, to vacate their seats in the National Assembly following their recent defections to other political parties.

The party maintained that both legislators secured their mandates under the APGA platform and should therefore step down after moving to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Labour Party, LP, respectively.

Speaking during a press briefing in Aba, the party’s Publicity Secretary in Abia State, Chukwuemeka Nwokoro, said the lawmakers’ exit did not come as a surprise to the party leadership.

Nwokoro stated that their departure had instead freed the party from what he described as political limitations that had previously affected its progress.

“The actions of these individuals were not unexpected. In fact, their departure is a welcome development that will help reposition and strengthen APGA in Abia State,” he said.

He insisted that since the two lawmakers were elected under APGA, it would be appropriate for them to vacate their positions in the National Assembly.

According to him, the mandates were secured through the party’s platform, and it would be morally right for the defectors to relinquish the seats.

“Those positions were obtained on the strength of APGA’s platform, and it is only proper that they step aside after leaving the party,” Nwokoro added.

While acknowledging that political defections are a common feature of Nigeria’s democratic system, APGA stressed that the development would not weaken the party’s standing in the state.

The party also alleged that Abaribe and Ikwechegh contributed little to its growth in Abia State during their time within the party, accusing them of undermining its progress.

According to Nwokoro, the experience has provided valuable lessons for the party, which he said would no longer allow opportunistic politicians to exploit its platform.

He assured party members and supporters that APGA would emerge stronger as preparations begin for the 2027 general elections.

Nwokoro further noted that the party, under the leadership of its Abia State chairman, Sunday Onukwubiri, has already begun efforts to reposition itself for better performance in the next electoral cycle.

He also urged individuals interested in contesting elections on APGA’s platform in 2027 to join the party early, stressing that it would no longer serve as a fallback option for politicians seeking last-minute tickets.

“APGA remains a formidable political force in Abia State, and we will not be distracted as we prepare for the 2027 elections,” he said.

Oyo State chapter of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, has warned the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, against allowing political tensions to escalate into violence in the state.

The caution follows reports of an attack on the residence of a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Hazeem Gbolarumi, on Saturday during the PDP’s congress activities.

In a statement issued on Sunday and made available to journalists, the state chairman of the SDP, Michael Okunlade, stressed the need to preserve Oyo State’s long-standing reputation as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria, particularly as the country moves closer to the next general elections.

Okunlade said the party became aware of the alleged violence through media reports circulating on radio and social media on Saturday.

He urged political parties in the state to focus their campaigns on issues that affect the people rather than resorting to confrontations.

“As preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, we call on all political parties in Oyo State to centre their campaigns on meaningful discussions and policies that will benefit the people,” he said.

The SDP chairman warned the PDP against actions that could destabilise the state’s peaceful atmosphere, noting that political activities ahead of the elections should be conducted responsibly and with consideration for public safety.

“We caution the PDP against turning the state into a battleground in the run-up to the 2027 elections. The party should coordinate its activities in the best interest of residents,” he said.

He also called on the police and other security agencies to remain vigilant and prevent influential political actors from using their positions to provoke unrest.

According to him, law enforcement authorities must closely monitor the activities of political groups in the state, especially as the next general elections approach.

Okunlade further reaffirmed the SDP’s commitment to maintaining peace and unity among its supporters, urging party members to remain disciplined and focused as the party prepares for the 2027 political contest.

He emphasized that acts of indiscipline within the party would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Residents and youth groups in Boripe local government council area of Osun State have expressed frustration over prolonged electricity outages, as the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, attributed the situation to reduced power supply from the national grid.

The Nigerian Youth Congress, Boripe chapter, said the persistent blackout had negatively affected homes, businesses and educational activities in the area.

In a statement issued in Osogbo, the group’s coordinator, Hammed Oyetunji, said communities within the local government had endured weeks of unstable power supply.

According to him, “the absence of electricity has disrupted economic activities and daily life for residents.

“For weeks, our communities have been subjected to prolonged blackout, causing serious hardship to residents, business owners, students and artisans.”

He added that electricity remained a critical factor in economic growth and public safety, stressing that its absence had slowed business activities across the local government.

Oyetunji also noted that many small-scale entrepreneurs had resorted to alternative sources of energy to keep their businesses running.

“Small businesses are incurring additional costs through alternative power sources, while students preparing for examinations are struggling to study effectively at night,” he stated.

He said the blackout had placed additional financial pressure on many households.

The youth leader called on IBEDC to provide a clear explanation for the prolonged outages and urgently restore stable electricity to the affected communities.

Residents had last week taken their grievances to the regional office of the distribution company in Osogbo, where they staged a protest over the power situation.

Demonstrators were seen chanting solidarity songs while demanding improved electricity supply to their communities.

Security personnel were deployed around the office during the protest to maintain order as tensions rose.

The protesters also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the distribution company to restore their communities to Band A electricity classification.

They warned that failure to address the situation could lead to further lawful collective actions against the company’s operations within the communities.

Responding to the concerns, IBEDC said the supply challenges were linked to reduced generation and instability in the national grid.

In a statement by the IBEDC management, the company explained that gas supply shortages to power generation plants had significantly lowered electricity generation across the country.

“Gas supply shortages to electricity generation plants have significantly reduced generation capacity nationwide, forcing distribution companies to implement increased load shedding,” the company said.

IBEDC added that electricity demand within its franchise areas had increased, particularly following the introduction of additional Band A feeders.

It stated that the energy allocated to the company from the national grid had remained inconsistent, creating a gap between electricity demand and available supply.

The company apologised to customers affected by the outages and said it was working with stakeholders across the electricity value chain to improve supply stability.

“We understand the frustration this situation has created among our customers and sincerely apologise for the disruption to homes, businesses and economic activities,” the company said.

There was pandemonium at the Federal Secretariat Monday morning as fire engulfed part its building.

DAILY POST gathered that the fire engulfed the Head of Civil Service Office of the Secretariat.

The incident diverted vehicular movement from the Federal Court of Appeal area.

At the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.

Details shortly…

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has raised concerns over an alleged plan by certain officials within the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, to spend close to N20 billion on electricity grid expansion projects.

The labour union claimed that the proposed expenditure, reportedly being pursued under the label of “emergency refurbishment,” appears to be a scheme aimed at diverting funds from the financially strained power utility.

In a letter addressed to the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, and signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the union warned that the planned spending poses a serious threat to the organisation’s financial stability.

Ajaero alleged that a group operating within TCN was attempting to use the justification of an “emergency” to sidestep standard procurement procedures and conceal questionable transactions within complex documentation.

He cautioned that if the procurement plans go ahead, the financial health of TCN could deteriorate further, potentially undermining its ability to operate effectively for many years.

According to the NLC leader, the national grid could remain in a perpetual state of crisis, not because of a lack of technical capacity, but due to the diversion of funds intended to improve infrastructure.

Providing examples of what he described as questionable spending proposals, Ajaero claimed that N191 million had been earmarked for erosion control work on Tower T89 in Ihovbor, Okada.

He also pointed to a proposed expenditure of N290.65 million for fencing and drainage work at the Biu 132/33KV substation.

He cited a planned allocation of N226.02 million for work on Tower T27 in the Etsako–Okpella–Ajaokuta axis, describing such figures as inconsistent with the principles of prudent financial management.

The NLC further alleged that there were plans to procure specialised transformers and switchgear in separate batches from the same supplier at progressively higher prices.

Ajaero argued that such arrangements suggested irregularities in the procurement process, describing them as an attempt to channel funds through inflated contracts rather than legitimate infrastructure upgrades.

He also accused officials of planning to stockpile consumable materials such as insulators, conductors and clamps at prices significantly above market rates, allegedly under the pretext of preparing for potential grid failures.

The NLC president therefore called on the Minister of Power to suspend all ongoing “emergency” procurement activities within TCN pending the outcome of a comprehensive forensic audit.

He also urged the minister to investigate the reported sale of land located behind the TCN substation in Katampe, Abuja.

In addition, Ajaero requested a review of an alleged attempt to promote a staff member employed on September 16, 2021, to the position of Assistant General Manager by 2026, which he said violates the company’s established promotion guidelines.