The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, Venatius Ikem, has resigned from his position with immediate effect.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Ikem reportedly communicated his decision in a resignation letter addressed to the party’s National Secretary at its national headquarters, Wadata House, in Abuja.

The letter was also copied to the PDP Secretary in Cross River State.

In the letter, the lawyer explained that persistent divisions and disagreements among party members had made it increasingly difficult for him to discharge his responsibilities effectively as the state chairman.

He said his decision followed careful consideration of the party’s current situation and the challenges confronting its leadership and internal unity.

According to Ikem, the party’s internal disputes had created an environment in which it was becoming increasingly difficult for members to maintain a shared sense of purpose and pursue common political objectives.

He added that the situation was particularly concerning as the party approached another electoral season, when unity, effective leadership and a clear political strategy would be crucial to its chances of success.

Ikem further warned that the persistent disagreements could undermine the PDP’s political ambitions and weaken the efforts of members who had committed their time, resources and energy to building the party.

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), alongside military personnel and police officers, have arrested five suspected members of a criminal gang allegedly involved in the abduction of 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Imo State on Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The 20 corps members were reportedly kidnapped by armed men along the Owerri–Onitsha Expressway in Imo State on October 1, 2026, while travelling to their designated orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom states.

The victims were later rescued on October 7 during a joint security operation at Amakohia Ubi Village.

However, five other suspected members of the gang reportedly escaped during the operation with gunshot wounds, triggering an extensive manhunt by security agencies.

According to security reports, the five suspects were eventually apprehended during a series of intelligence-driven operations carried out at different locations in Rivers and Abia states.

Security expert Zagazola Makama disclosed that the operations took place between October 10 and 14 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Aba South Local Government Area of Abia State.

Makama described the arrests as a significant breakthrough, noting that security agencies had maintained an extensive search for those allegedly responsible for the abduction.

“This is a huge sigh of relief. Security agencies have been on a manhunt for the abductors, and we are elated that they have been captured. We strongly believe they will be charged to Court by DSS and the corps members will get justice,” he said.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council has criticised Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), over his call for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Reports indicate that Kwankwaso made the statement during an interview with Channels Television, where he revealed that he had urged some Fulani groups to persuade Atiku to step aside from the contest.

Reacting to the remarks, the Director of Media and Publicity of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Kola Ologbondiyan, described Kwankwaso’s position as reckless, self-serving and an attempt to promote President Bola Tinubu’s political interests ahead of the 2027 election.

Ologbondiyan also questioned Kwankwaso’s commitment to Peter Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, and the broader opposition effort to unseat Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

He alleged that Kwankwaso’s support for Obi was motivated more by personal ambition than by a genuine commitment to the opposition’s collective goal of defeating the APC.

In a statement, the ADC campaign council said Kwankwaso’s demand that Atiku withdraw in favour of Obi was a move that could undermine the opposition’s chances in the forthcoming election.

The statement read, “The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has berated Senator @KwankwasoRM over his call for former Vice President @atiku Abubakar to step down for Mr @PeterObi, describing the statement as reckless, self-serving and a desperate attempt to advance President @officialABAT’s political interests ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

“Rather than campaigning against President Tinubu, whose administration Nigerians are eagerly working to vote out, Kwankwaso is fixated on Atiku Abubakar, the ADC candidate, whom millions of Nigerians believe can restore economic stability and make life affordable again.

“What Kwankwaso is doing amounts to advancing President Tinubu’s interests. It is a familiar APC strategy to use willing collaborators within the opposition to create confusion, sow division, and weaken the collective efforts to bring about political change.

“Nigerians are not fooled. There is a growing perception that Kwankwaso’s support for Peter Obi is driven more by his personal ambition than by a genuine commitment to the opposition’s collective objective of defeating the APC.”

The ADC campaign council further argued that Kwankwaso’s political influence should not automatically be equated with the ability to win a presidential election, pointing to his fourth-place finish in the 2023 presidential election.

It also highlighted Atiku’s political experience and nationwide network, describing the former vice president as a figure with relationships spanning Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

“Atiku Abubakar is a cosmopolitan, detribalised, and nationally recognised political figure who has built relationships across the North, South, East, and West over more than three decades,” the statement added.

The council urged Kwankwaso and his supporters to reconsider their position and back Atiku’s presidential ambition, arguing that his candidacy offered the opposition a viable route to defeating Tinubu.

“Atiku remains our preferred pathway to defeating President Tinubu and ending the hunger, poverty, and insecurity that the APC administration has foisted on our nation,” Ologbondiyan said.