The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Ogun Central, Iyabo Obasanjo, has dismissed reports suggesting that she is considering a political alliance with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a statement released by Peter Macjob, spokesperson for the Iyabo Obasanjo Senatorial Campaign Organisation, the former senator described the claim as false, insisting that she had never met Obi to discuss political matters.

“I have never met Obi for any political discussions ever,” she said, rejecting suggestions that she was negotiating or considering any political arrangement with the former Anambra State governor.

The clarification followed a social media report attributed to the blog Very Nigerian, which claimed that a political alliance known as the Rainbow Coalition was taking shape in Ogun Central, with Obasanjo allegedly considering endorsing Obi.

However, Obasanjo reaffirmed her support for President Bola Tinubu, explaining that her position was based on her longstanding political relationship with the President.

She said Tinubu was the presidential candidate she knew best, particularly because of his seniority in politics and the respect he had consistently shown her.

“I am supporting Tinubu because I know him best of all the presidential candidates as a much senior politician, and he has always treated me with respect,” she stated.

The former senator described the report as fabricated, alleging that it was intended to mislead voters and create confusion within the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The campaign organisation also maintained that no meetings, consultations or agreements had taken place between Obasanjo and Obi regarding a possible cross-party alliance or voting arrangement.

It further emphasised that Obasanjo remained the PDP’s duly cleared senatorial candidate for Ogun Central and was focused on her ambition to represent the district in the Senate.

Former presidential aide Laolu Akande has criticised African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over what he described as an attempt to return presidential power to the North.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Akande described the former vice president’s alleged position as an insult to Nigerians, rejecting the suggestion that the North is angry and wants power returned to the region.

Naija News reports that Akande, a former Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity in the Office of the Vice President, made the remarks during an interview on Symfoni TV on Friday.

Speaking about the preparedness and suitability of presidential candidates ahead of the forthcoming election, Akande argued that Nigeria should uphold the principle of rotational presidency to ensure that different regions feel a sense of belonging.

He said the idea that the North is angry and wants power back should not be used to justify the demand for a return of the presidency to the region.

“Atiku is just basically saying that, okay, the North is angry; we want power back. And that idea, with due respect to our brothers in the North, is an insult. It’s an insult. This country, we must maintain rotational presidency for purposes of building a sense of belonging,” he said.

Akande also questioned the ADC’s choice of presidential candidate, suggesting that the party could have considered former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi or made efforts to prevent Peter Obi from leaving the party.

Speaking on the party’s decision, he said, “If they were serious, they should have picked Amaechi, or they should have prevented Obi from leaving, and then Atiku would have been a star.”

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has challenged the Minister of Information, Dele Alake, to provide evidence to substantiate his allegations against the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

News reports that Alake had accused Atiku and the ADC of engaging in what he described as “fake news operations”, allegedly involving artificial intelligence-generated content, deepfake videos and forged documents aimed at discrediting President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Reacting in a statement on Saturday, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council’s Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, argued that political propaganda would not shield Tinubu’s administration from public dissatisfaction over the rising cost of living.

The council maintained that Nigerians were more concerned about the increasing prices of food, petrol and transportation than allegations involving artificial intelligence and deepfake content.

It therefore challenged Alake to present evidence linking Atiku or the ADC to the alleged fabricated letter and video.

Shaibu described the minister’s intervention as an attempt to divert public attention from the administration’s performance, insisting that the economic difficulties facing Nigerians were real and could not be dismissed as misinformation.

“Until then, his ‘fake news alert’ is an empty political stunt,” Shaibu said, urging the minister to provide names, dates and forensic findings to support his claims.

Citing petrol prices of about ₦1,400 per litre, diesel prices exceeding ₦2,000 and food inflation hovering around 20 per cent, Shaibu argued that the financial pressures confronting households could not be written off as fabricated information.

Turning to Tinubu’s campaign rally in Kaduna, the ADC campaign spokesman questioned reports that a vehicle seen near an APC billboard was on routine patrol, asking why a campaign billboard required such protection.

He also expressed concern over reports that supporters had travelled from distant states to attend the rally but were left sleeping on the streets of Kaduna.

The statement further referenced reports of accidents involving APC supporters travelling from Sokoto and Abuja to the event, although the details had not been confirmed.

Shaibu called on the APC to take responsibility for the safety of supporters travelling to its campaign activities. He condemned what he described as the use of supporters to create favourable political impressions at the expense of their welfare.

“Making citizens endure long, hazardous journeys and sleep outdoors simply to create rally optics is political exploitation, not leadership,” he said.

The ADC campaign council maintained that the APC’s economic record, rather than its criticism of opposition figures, would influence its electoral prospects.

Shaibu argued that Nigerians struggling with high prices and declining purchasing power would ultimately assess the administration based on their experiences at the polls.

“Alake’s attack on Atiku will not reduce the cost of a meal by one naira,” he added.