Legborsi Nwiabu, an African Democratic Congress (ADC) aspirant for the Khana Constituency I seat in the Rivers State House of Assembly, has filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt. Nwiabu alleges he was unlawfully excluded from the party’s primary election and has named the ADC, its declared candidate for the 2027 general election, Bright Nulee, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants in the suit.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

During the hearing on Friday, ADC counsel Emenike Ebete requested the court’s permission to resolve the dispute through an out-of-court settlement, noting that a reconciliation committee had been established by the party. While the respondents did not oppose the application, Nwiabu’s counsel, Felix Beragbara, objected, stating that his client had not been notified of such a committee.

Presiding judge Justice Muhammed Turaki granted the request for an out-of-court settlement and adjourned the case until August 12, 2026, to allow time for reconciliation or to proceed with a hearing on the substantive suit.

Claims of Exclusion and Procedural Failure

According to Nwiabu’s legal team, the aspirant exhausted all internal party mechanisms before approaching the court. Beragbara provided the following details regarding the alleged irregularities:

• The primary election was initially scheduled for May 21, 2026, and purportedly rescheduled for May 22, 2026.

• Despite mobilizing agents and supporters across all 11 wards of Khana Constituency I, Nwiabu’s camp claims that no election was ever conducted.

• The aspirant alleges that neither party officials nor INEC monitors were present at any voting center on the rescheduled date.

Nwiabu further claims that his subsequent petition to the party’s appeals committee for a fresh primary was ignored. He contends that the party proceeded to declare Bright Nulee as the official candidate and submitted his name to INEC without holding the required election, leading Nwiabu to challenge the legitimacy of the nomination in court.

Legal representatives for the ADC, the second respondent, and INEC declined to comment following the proceedings.

The Electoral Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (ECNBA) has indefinitely postponed the start of the 2026 national elections following a targeted cyberattack on its electronic voting platform. Although voting was scheduled to begin at midnight on Saturday, July 18, 2026, the exercise was halted due to a “deliberate, coordinated and sustained” attempt to compromise the system.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The ECNBA has issued an apology to all stakeholders, including candidates, voters, and observers, for the disruption. In response to the breach, the committee’s cybersecurity experts and voting service provider have activated emergency protocols to neutralize the threat and secure the infrastructure.

• Technical teams are currently working to restore the system to ensure the election proceeds with its credibility intact.

• The voting platform is not currently accepting ballots, and no new start time has been announced.

• The portal will only be reopened once technical experts confirm the system is fully operational and safe.

Safety Precautions and Official Communication

The ECNBA has issued a stern warning to lawyers to avoid unofficial platforms, malicious links, or unauthorized messages claiming to provide access to the voting portal. Eligible voters are advised to await official communication from the ECNBA and to rely exclusively on information released through the committee’s official channels.

Despite the delay, the electoral body confirmed that the process remains under the supervision of the committee, with candidates, agents, and independent observers stationed at the designated monitoring center. Signed by Chairman Aham Ejelam (SAN) and Secretary Ibrahim Nassarawa, the statement reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to delivering a transparent and credible election once all security threats are mitigated.

Asia Ahmad El-Rufai, a lawyer and the wife of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has issued an appeal to the international community to scrutinize her husband’s ongoing incarceration, which she characterizes as “punishment before trial”. Marking the 150th day of his detention, she urged foreign governments, international human rights organizations, and multilateral groups to monitor the legal proceedings, arguing that his continued imprisonment threatens Nigeria’s democratic foundations.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Asia highlighted the severe physical and emotional impact the five-month detention has had on her husband and family, noting the loss of family milestones and access to proper medical care. She specifically alleged that the former governor suffered serious health crises while in custody, including bleeding from his nose and mouth, and claimed that authorities were hesitant to provide adequate medical attention or accept prescribed medication from his family.

She further asserted that this treatment has extended to her husband’s associates, specifically citing the prolonged detention and solitary confinement of Joel Adoga, the health deterioration of Jimi Lawal, and the difficult bail conditions imposed on his personal physician, Professor Abubakar Bello.

Allegations of “Lawfare” and Political Persecution

Asia argued that the legal proceedings against her husband are intentionally confusing and punitive, involving overlapping charges, duplicated claims, and shifting legal arguments across multiple courts. She alleged that authorities are using the judicial system as a political weapon—a practice she termed “lawfare”—to keep him detained regardless of bail conditions.

She contends that her husband’s predicament stems from his political rupture with President Bola Tinubu’s administration and his departure from the All Progressives Congress (APC). While she emphasized that she does not seek special treatment or immunity from investigation, she insisted that any such process must be transparent, impartial, and compliant with constitutional safeguards.

An Appeal to International and Domestic Authorities

Directly addressing President Tinubu, Asia cautioned that history is often critical of leaders who use their power to silence critics. She urged the President to allow the judiciary to operate independently and fairly. Furthermore, she called on Nigeria’s diplomatic and development partners to ensure that international support for Nigerian institutions does not inadvertently facilitate the suppression of political opposition.

“Nigeria’s friends must understand that this case is larger than Nasir El-Rufai,” Asia stated, noting that the situation raises broader questions regarding judicial independence and whether citizens can remain protected by law after falling out of political favor. She concluded by requesting that her husband be granted proper access to his legal team, doctors, and family to address any credible allegations against him in an open, fair court.