With the African Democratic Congress, ADC, primary elections now over, attention has shifted to who becomes the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Atiku had picked the current Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi as his running mate in 2019 and former governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate in the 2023 polls.

A few weeks ago, Atiku emerged as the flag bearer of the ADC after polling the highest number of votes in the party’s primary election.

DAILY POST reports that he is said to be thinking towards the South-East, with names like the Director General of the World Trade Organization, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha being mentioned.

Amid these speculations, the Director of Politics at Arise News, Sumner Sambo had said Okonjo-Iweala distanced herself from such a move, stressing that she was unwilling to abandon her current post as WTO DG for a Nigerian political contest.

Okonjo-Iweala assumed the position of the DG of WTO on March 1, 2021, becoming both the first woman and the first African to lead the world trade organization.

She assumed her second term as director-general in September 2023 and her tenure runs until 2029.

However, Sambo said she had communicated her position directly to Atiku’s camp.

Sambo said: “Okonjo-Iweala is not willing to actually leave a lucrative job as DG of the World Trade Organisation to actually consider that.

“She’s made it known to them, and that is understandable because she just resumed in September last year, and she has a tenure that will run for a second term till 2029.”

Emeka Ihedioha

One of the names featuring prominently is the former governor of Imo State and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Ihedioha, who is also a member of the ADC, is believed to be among those the former Vice President is quietly evaluating as his potential running mate.

South South link with Amaechi 

While speculations are rife that Atiku is looking at the Southeast, there are also claims that he has extended his searchlight towards the South South region.

Atiku is said to be considering a fellow presidential aspirant and former Minister of Transportation who served as a two-term governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi.

The ADC presidential candidate met with Amaechi behind closed doors on Monday, but details of the meeting were never made public.

However, some believe it has everything to do with the choice of Atiku’s running mate.

Southeast running mate won’t get Atiku votes – APC chieftain, Eli

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Sogbeye Eli, has said shopping for a running mate from the Southeast won’t get Atiku many votes in 2027 due to the influence of Obi in the region.

“Atiku has no room for votes from a vice-presidential candidate from both the South-East and South-West,” he said in an interview.

Dele Momodu portrays self as Atiku’s running mate

Amid the political uncertainty, a chieftain of the ADC and former presidential candidate, Dele Momodu had posted a flyer on his social media page wherein he was portrayed as Atiku’s running mate.

Alongside the flyer, Momodu wrote: “The Attraction of Atiku Abubakar/Dele Momodu ticket”, “The right choice for a greater Nigeria.”

Spare tyre won’t be basis of Atiku picking running mate – Aide

Reacting to the speculations, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, said the ADC presidential candidate would pick his running mate based on competence and not on the usual basis of “spare tyre.”

Speaking with DAILY POST, Shaibu said: “On the question of the Vice Presidential slot, it is far too early to speculate on specific regions or individuals.

“That decision will ultimately be guided by what best serves the national interest and strengthens the mission of rescuing Nigeria.

“What I can say with confidence is that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar understands the enormous responsibilities of leadership. He appreciates that the challenges facing Nigeria today require a competent, experienced, and capable team.

“Therefore, I do not expect the choice of a running mate to be based on symbolism or the outdated notion of a “spare tyre.” Nigeria needs a governing team, not a sole administrator.

“The Vice President must be someone who can contribute meaningfully to governance, policy formulation, economic management, national cohesion, and the overall task of rebuilding the country.

“When the time comes, Nigerians can expect a decision driven by competence, capacity, and the national interest.”

Picking running mate from Southeast Atiku’s strongest option – Lawyer

Contributing to the discussion, a lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, pointed out that if Atiku wants national cohesion and political balance, picking his running mate from the Southeast is his “strongest option.”

Idam said Atiku can pose a great challenge to Obi’s presidential ambition if he picks a running mate from the Southeast.

“Atiku’s strongest option may be to choose a running mate from the South-East if the objectives are equity, national cohesion, and political balance in the event of victory.

“The South-East would need meaningful representation in his administration to foster a greater sense of inclusion and national belonging.

“A northern presidential ticket without South-East representation is likely to attract criticism and apathy from a significant segment of the South-East electorate.

“Furthermore, if Atiku intends to pose a serious challenge to the influence of Peter Obi in the region, selecting a running mate from the South-East could be a strategic necessity.

“Without such a move, securing the constitutionally required spread of votes, including a substantial share from the region, may prove difficult in the 2027 election

Former Presidential candidate of the National Interest Party, Eunice Atuejide, has challenged the African Democratic Congress, ADC, chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, to bring up all evidences against Mr Peter Obi in court.

Atuejide threw the challenge on Thursday while fielding questions in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’.

She said she is an ardent supporter of Peter Obi, and does no want to follow anyone with criminal records or a man the public cannot scrutinise.

“I challenge Kenneth Okonkwo to disclose in court everything he has against Peter Obi that incriminates him.

“I want that scrutiny for my children’s sake. I’m following Peter Obi with all my heart, all my life, and I don’t want to follow a man that has criminal records, whom we probably cannot scrutinize.

“One of the reasons I’m happy to do this is that my children are seeing everything. They are happy that mommy is following a man that at least is different from all the other politicians we have known in Nigeria. So, I need Mr Kenneth Okonkwo to absolutely publish everything.

“And I have told my leader that I’m going to demand that he continues this case in court, so that everybody that has every information that incriminates him, I want to see them,” she said.

Arise Television anchor, Rufai Oseni has said that individuals who served under the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, remain influential in Nigeria’s political landscape.

According to him, they have continued to benefit from government appointments decades after the end of military rule.

Oseni made the comment on Friday in a post on X while reflecting on Nigeria’s Democracy Day celebrations.

He wrote: “Those that served Abacha are still relevant today and enjoying government. They enjoyed the best of military and civilian. Happy democracy day.”

His comment comes as Nigerians mark Democracy Day on June 12, a date set aside to commemorate the struggle for democratic governance and honour the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

The Federal Government had also on Thursday declared June 12 as a public holiday in commemoration of Democracy Day.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, on behalf of the Federal Government.

DAILY POST reports that the day also serves as a reminder of the country’s transition from military rule to civilian government in 1999.

Recall that General Sani Abacha ruled Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998.

His administration remains one of the most controversial periods in the country’s history, marked by allegations of human rights abuses, suppression of political opposition and widespread corruption.

However, several political figures who held positions during the military era have continued to play active roles in subsequent democratic administrations.

Lagos State Government has appealed for calm following panic in the Ojokoro area of the state over reports of an alleged bandit attack at a school complex, which prompted anxious parents to rush to the premises to check on their children.

Reacting to the incident, the Lagos State Education District I, which supervises 99 public junior and senior secondary schools across the Agege, Alimosho and Ifako-Ijaiye areas, clarified that no case of banditry or kidnapping occurred, describing the situation as a misunderstanding caused by a poorly communicated educational exercise.

According to the district, the incident originated from a weekly co-curricular programme at Ijaiye Ojokoro Junior College, one of the four schools located within the Ojokoro school complex.

The authorities explained that the exercise was designed to educate students on contemporary security issues and often incorporates practical demonstrations to enhance learning and engagement.

However, during Wednesday’s session, a member of the teaching staff reportedly adopted an overly dramatic approach while illustrating the dangers of kidnapping and banditry, inadvertently triggering panic among students and members of the surrounding community.

Officials said the demonstration involved the use of a vehicle and simulated security-style operations, including costumes and behaviour intended to resemble those of criminal elements.

The realistic nature of the exercise reportedly caused confusion, with many students believing the school was under attack and fleeing the premises in fear.

The resulting alarm quickly spread beyond the school environment, leading concerned parents to make frantic inquiries about their children, while residents of nearby communities, including the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation, LSDPC, Estate in Ojokoro, reacted to reports circulating on social media.

In a statement, the Residents Association of the LSDPC Estate acknowledged that the exercise may have been conceived as an educational role-play but criticised its execution, describing it as inappropriate given prevailing security concerns across the country.

The association noted that the teacher involved failed to notify school authorities, staff members and students about the planned dramatization, which included realistic special effects.

“Furthermore, the teacher failed to inform the school authority, other staff, and the rest of the student body about his proposed drama, which included the use of realistic special effects. This lack of communication resulted in severe panic within the school,” the association stated.

“In the ensuing rush to escape what they believed to be a real threat, a large number of students fled into our estate, causing the rowdiness and alarm that many witnessed.

“We want to assure all residents that there was no actual security breach, kidnapping or bandit attack within or around our estate. The police were immediately contacted and are fully involved. The teacher responsible for the false alarm has been taken to the police station for questioning, and the situation has been completely brought under control.”

Authorities maintained that the incident was the result of miscommunication rather than any security threat and reassured parents and residents that students and staff remained safe.

Meanwhile, a visit to the police station where the teacher was reportedly taken showed the staff member present at the facility. However, inquiries into the matter were declined by the Divisional Police Officer, who referred journalists to the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command for further information.

Operatives of the Department of State Services and troops of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday foiled a major attempt by members of the outlawed Eastern Security Network to kidnap scores of students writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination in some South-East states.

The targeted schools for the abductions were located in Enugu, Anambra and Imo states.

According to a statement on Thursday, acting on credible intelligence from the DSS, operatives of the secret police and soldiers raided an ESN armoury in the Agbani axis of Enugu State.

The statement added that intelligence revealed that ESN members planned to launch the attacks while wearing National Youth Service Corps uniforms.

“The raid led to the recovery of a cache of high-calibre arms, including eight AK-47 rifles, 12 AK-47 magazines and 323 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.

“Also recovered were one smoke grenade launcher, two teargas canisters, 10 NYSC trousers, eight NYSC T-shirts and four NYSC lanyards.

“Intelligence further revealed that members of the terrorist organisation were to attack selected schools in the Southeast region to create the impression that bandits had invaded the region.

“Several members of the organisation were reportedly arrested. Earlier on Tuesday, a team comprising DSS operatives and soldiers, around the Garki area of Enugu, raided another ESN armoury,” the statement read.

It added that a rocket launcher, two rocket-propelled grenade warheads, three RPG chargers and three AK-47 rifles were among the arms recovered by the security team.

“Also recovered by the team were six AK-47 magazines, two handheld grenades, one teargas gun, a baton, two teargas canisters, 270 rounds of NATO 7.62x39mm ammunition, 478 rounds of 7.62x39mm special ammunition, a bandolier and a baton.”

The recoveries came barely a week after DSS operatives arrested five suspected arms couriers linked to gunmen who abducted students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri Village, Niger State, on November 21, 2025.

Had the planned abduction been carried out, it would have further heightened concerns over the resurgence of school kidnappings in Nigeria, where students have repeatedly been targeted by criminal and terrorist groups in recent years. Several mass abductions from schools across the country have drawn national and international attention, prompting increased security measures around educational institutions.