The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State has dismissed allegations by Governor Ademola Adeleke that the opposition party plans to rely on federal influence to manipulate the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the party’s Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, said the accusations were unfounded and were aimed at preparing the ground for defeat in the poll.

Olabisi said the ruling camp’s claims emerged after remarks made at a stakeholders’ meeting of the Accord Party, where Adeleke accused the APC of threatening to deploy federal authority during the election.

According to the APC spokesman, “the opposition party has no intention of influencing the electoral process through unlawful means and believes it can win the election based on its growing support across the state.

“The allegation that our party intends to rely on federal might to win the governorship election is a mere figment of the imagination of some rumour mongers.”

He added that the “APC had been focusing on legitimate political mobilisation and strategic planning ahead of the election, insisting that such efforts would determine the outcome of the poll.”

The party pointed to recent political developments within the state, claiming that several prominent figures who were formerly aligned with the governor’s political structure had joined the APC.

Among those mentioned were Shuaib Oyedokun, Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi and Wole Oke, whom the party said had strengthened its chances in the forthcoming contest.

Olabisi also cited the defection of political figures including Dotun Babayemi and Akin Ogunbiyi, saying their support had boosted the campaign efforts of the party.

The APC maintained that “these developments demonstrate what a shifting political alignments in the state ahead of the election.”

The spokesman said the party’s candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, was gaining increasing support across various communities.

“Our governorship candidate is a serious contender who is going into the August 2026 election to win convincingly without resorting to fraudulent means,” Olabisi stated.

Meanwhile, Governor Adeleke has continued to warn against what he described as attempts to intimidate voters during the electoral process.

Addressing leaders and ward officials of the Accord Party across Osun’s 332 wards in Osogbo, the governor said federal authority should be used for governance rather than electoral interference.

“Federal might is for good governance, not election rigging,” Adeleke said, while urging voters to remain vigilant ahead of the election.

He also appealed to residents to defend the integrity of the electoral process, insisting that “only the votes of the people will determine who governs the state.”

Eight members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Caretaker Committee in Taraba State have distanced themselves from a list of the newly elected state executive committee allegedly released by former caretaker chairman, Dr. Victor Fallack.

In a joint statement signed on Sunday, the members said the list being circulated by Dr. Fallack, in which he reportedly named himself chairman and included some of them as members was compiled without their knowledge or consultation.

The signatories stressed that they do not recognize the list and are formally dissociating themselves from it to avoid confusion within the party.

According to the statement, the action taken by the former chairman was done “single-handedly without consulting any member of the Caretaker Committee.”

The committee members said they decided to set the record straight in the interest of the party and to maintain peace and stability in Taraba State.

They reaffirmed their commitment as party stakeholders and citizens to always promote unity and peaceful political engagement.

The group also used the opportunity to commend party delegates across the state for their conduct during the recent ward, local government, and state congresses.

“We want to thank all our delegates for the matured way they conducted themselves from the wards to the local government areas and the state congresses,” the statement added.

The signatories are Terna Anzamber, Hikon Hosea, Hamisu Maigari, Zubulun Dauda Hamman Yakubu Balutu, Hauwa Adam Imam, Ali Musa , and Polycarp Apura.

The signatories reiterated their commitment to the unity of the party and called on members across the state to remain calm while efforts continue to strengthen internal democratic processes.

Heavy clashes between suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province and troops of the Nigerian Army were reported on the outskirts of Maiduguri late Sunday night.

According to security analyst Brant Philip, loud explosions were heard in the western part of the city about an hour before his report, raising concerns among residents.

Philip said the blasts were linked to ongoing clashes between suspected ISWAP militants and Nigerian troops operating around the outskirts of the city.

He noted that details of the confrontation remained unclear as the situation was still developing at the time of his post on the social media platform X.

He wrote: “Loud explosions were heard in the western part of Maiduguri around an hour ago, details are still unclear as the situation is ongoing.

“Heavy clashes between suspected ISWAP militants and the Nigerian army in the outskirts of Maiduguri tonight, capital of Borno State in northeast Nigeria.”

DAILY POST reports that Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, has been a major centre of military operations against insurgent groups operating in Nigeria’s northeast.

The Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, has called upon senior public servants throughout Africa to adopt actionable reforms and enhance governance within their institutions.

The minister made this appeal during the graduation ceremony of the AIG Public Leaders Programme, where 69 senior officials from seven African nations received their diplomas.

Minister Tunji-Ojo stressed that Africa’s most valuable resource is its people, asserting that public service leadership should prioritize long-term effects over immediate benefits.

“If we grasp the true essence of service, Africa will have a different narrative to share. Leadership in public service must ensure that decisions are advantageous for future generations,” he stated.

He further noted that addressing inefficiencies in public institutions is crucial for overcoming challenges such as underdevelopment, insecurity, and economic hardships.

Additionally, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede emphasized the critical need for nurturing leaders who are committed to reform.

“The future of Africa hinges on the caliber of leadership within its public institutions. Transforming these institutions requires leaders who possess a profound understanding of systems, accept necessary compromises, and initiate reform from within,” he remarked.

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria has announced that four bandits were arrested at the Akure Airport in Ondo State, Nigeria.

FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

He said the bandits were arrested within the vicinity of the airport by its security, the Air Force (NAF), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and local invigilators upon coordinated response.

“The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to inform the public that four suspected bandits were today apprehended within the vicinity of Akure Airport, Ondo State, following a coordinated security operation involving aviation and local security agencies.

“The arrest followed a distress alert that suspicious individuals were sighted behind the airport perimeter towards the Eleyewo community. In response, security personnel comprising FAAN’s Aviation Security (AVSEC), the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and other local security outfits immediately launched a joint search operation,” FAAN stated.

FAAN assured the travelling public and airport host communities of its unwavering commitment to maintaining safety and security.

Former media aide to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, has urged the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to “push forward” experienced southern politicians like Rotimi Amaechi and Peter Obi as presidential candidates.

Akande said Amaechi and Obi are Southern candidates capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

He spoke on Friday during an appearance on Sunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television.

Akande said credible and experienced leaders from the South should be positioned if opposition parties are serious about mounting a strong challenge.

“If they were serious, people like Rotimi Amaechi, people like Peter Obi ought to be the ones to be pushed forward,” he said.

He highlighted Amaechi’s long career in public service, noting his experience across several levels of government.

“Look at Amaechi. Amaechi has been a speaker, he’s been a governor, he’s been a minister. He was second in the APC,” Akande said.

“Tremendous career in politics, opportunities in service. And he was the guy that was in charge of infrastructure development.”

According to him, the opposition needs a southern candidate with strong governance credentials who can stand “head-to-head against President Tinubu.”

Akande also warned that without a strong alternative candidate, former vice president Atiku Abubakar could continue to dominate opposition politics ahead of the next election.

“As things stand now, if you keep on getting the vibes that Atiku wants to do it by his means, he will probably be able to forge his way through by some means, because he seems to be the strongest politician in the party. The shadows of Atiku are still hanging heavily,” he said.

The Elders Forum of Taraba state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, alongside the party’s Like-minds Forum, has reaffirmed its support for the existing leadership structure of the party in the state while urging members to actively participate in the ongoing electronic membership registration.

The positions, as noticed by DAILY POST was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a joint meeting of the two groups held over the weekend in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

The meeting attended by senior party members and key stakeholders, deliberated on developments within the party and strategies for strengthening its internal structure.

In the communiqué jointly signed by the Chairman of the PDP Elders Forum in the state, John Mamman, and the Chairman of the Like-minds Forum, Hilkiah Bubajoda Mafindi, the forum declared that it does not recognize any faction or group operating outside the legally constituted leadership of the party in Taraba State.

According to the resolution, the forum affirmed its recognition of the established leadership structure of the party from the ward level up to the State Working Committee, urging members to respect the existing party hierarchy and work together to promote unity within the PDP.

The elders and party stakeholders also called on members across the state to mobilize and register en masse in the party’s ongoing E-registration exercise, describing the process as critical to strengthening the party’s membership base and organizational capacity.

They further appealed to stakeholders at the ward and local government levels to support and facilitate the registration process in their respective areas to ensure wider participation among party faithful.

While acknowledging ongoing discussions at the national level, the forum appealed to members to remain calm and law abiding as they await the outcome of deliberations by the PDP Board of Trustees on issues affecting the party.

The meeting, according to participants, underscored the need for unity, discipline, and collective commitment among party members as the PDP continues efforts to consolidate its structure and strengthen internal cohesion in the state.

Veteran Nigerian gospel singer and songwriter, Toun Soetan, popularly known as Evangelist Shouet, has passed away at the age of 73.

The respected evangelist and gospel music icon, was widely recognised as the original composer of the popular Christian chorus ‘Darling Jesus’, a song that has remained a verse in churches across Nigeria.

Reacting to her passing, former Secretary of the Oyo State chapter of the Entertainment Writers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Kunle Bakare, described the late musician as a divinely gifted minister whose songs carried powerful spiritual messages.

“The late gospel music player will also be remembered for her music college, where she trained so many gospel music players, most of whom are reigning today,” Bakare said.

Also confirming the incident, gospel musician Peters Olaniyi Olusegun shared the news in a Facebook post.

“We just lost another legend this morning, Mummy Toun Soetan. May the Lord be with the family and Daddy Titus Soetan,” he wrote.

Beyond ‘Darling Jesus’, the late evangelist was also known for other notable songs such as ‘Ke Pe Jesu’ and ‘Cast Your Burdens’, which became widely used in Christian worship gatherings.