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Kenneth Okonkwo Urges INEC to Declare Gov. Diri’s Seat Vacant After PDP Resignation

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Nollywood actor and Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare the governorship seat of Bayelsa State vacant following Governor Douye Diri’s reported resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Okonkwo made the call in a statement shared on social media and in comments to journalists on Tuesday. He argued that Diri’s decision to leave the PDP, the platform under which he was elected, automatically invalidates his mandate as governor.

“The moment Governor Diri resigned from the PDP, he ceased to have a legal mandate to occupy the Bayelsa governorship seat,” Okonkwo said. “INEC must immediately declare the position vacant and conduct a fresh election in line with the Constitution.”

He insisted that INEC has a constitutional responsibility to act swiftly to maintain the rule of law and prevent what he described as “a dangerous precedent” where elected officials abandon their parties but remain in office.

“The law must be applied equally to all. You cannot win an election on one party’s platform and continue in office after leaving that party,” Okonkwo added.

Governor Diri has not publicly commented on the call, and his media team has not issued an official response as of press time. The PDP has also remained silent on the matter.

INEC, the country’s electoral body, has yet to issue a statement regarding Okonkwo’s demand. However, electoral experts say the issue could lead to a legal battle, as Nigeria’s Constitution and electoral laws provide different interpretations of what happens when an elected official resigns or defects from their political party.

Legal analyst Barrister Raymond Ojei told reporters that while party defection by lawmakers can trigger loss of seat under Section 109 of the Constitution, the same rule may not automatically apply to governors.

“There is no clear constitutional provision that says a governor automatically loses office upon resigning from the party that sponsored him,” Ojei said. “That kind of decision would likely need judicial interpretation.”

Governor Diri, who was first sworn in as Bayelsa State governor in 2020 after a Supreme Court ruling nullified the election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, has been a long-standing member of the PDP. His reported resignation from the party has stirred political debate in Bayelsa and beyond.

Political analysts say Okonkwo’s call highlights a growing national concern about party loyalty and the stability of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy. In recent years, several elected officials — including governors, lawmakers, and local government chairmen — have switched political parties without losing their positions, sparking controversy over the sanctity of electoral mandates.

If INEC were to act on Okonkwo’s demand, it would mean organizing a fresh governorship election in Bayelsa State — a decision that could have far-reaching political and legal implications.

For now, INEC is expected to review the situation in line with constitutional provisions and possibly await judicial clarification before taking any action.

Okonkwo, a lawyer and prominent member of the Labour Party, said his call was not politically motivated but driven by a desire to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic system.

“This is not about party politics,” he said. “It’s about the principle that power belongs to the people through the party platform that produced the mandate. Once that platform is abandoned, the mandate should end.”

The controversy over Diri’s political future adds another layer to Nigeria’s tense political atmosphere as the country prepares for upcoming state elections and political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Whether INEC will heed Okonkwo’s call remains to be seen, but the debate is already reigniting discussions about constitutional reform and the consequences of party resignations by elected officials.

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Breaking: FG Sets Fresh Deadline For Release Of WAEC, NECO Results.

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The Federal Government has proposed a new examination timetable aimed at ensuring that candidates who sit for the 2027 West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and other major external examinations receive their results by August 2027.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The initiative is intended to ensure that students obtain their results before the September admission process into universities, polytechnics and colleges of education begins.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, disclosed the plan during a meeting with heads and representatives of examination bodies at the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters in Abuja.

According to a statement released on Wednesday night by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the government wants examination bodies to collaborate in meeting the proposed deadlines.

“The meeting focused on harmonising examination schedules, preventing clashes among major examinations and ensuring that results are processed and released within agreed timelines,” the statement said.

Under the proposed timetable, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) is expected to conduct the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) between March 15 and March 25.

Candidates who sit for the UTME are expected to receive their results in March, enabling them to proceed to the next stages of the tertiary admission process.

The NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is scheduled to hold from April 1 to May 14, 2027.

Meanwhile, the WAEC West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is expected to commence on May 11 and end on June 18.

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examination is scheduled to take place between June 1 and July 5, 2027.

Similarly, the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) examination is expected to run from June 10 to July 9.

Results for the NABTEB and NBAIS examinations are also expected to be released in August, in line with the government’s proposed timeline.

The Federal Government’s plan is designed to harmonise the examination calendar and ensure that students have access to their results in good time for the 2027 tertiary institution admission process.

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2027, ‘We Are More Prepared’ – APC Boasts Of Victory, Takes Aim At Atiku And Peter Obi.

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that it is better prepared than opposition parties for the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The ruling party accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, and Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), of focusing more on criticising President Bola Tinubu than presenting their own plans for Nigerians.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday.

Morka spoke shortly after the ruling party inaugurated its Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, stating that the APC had begun putting its campaign plans and structures in place ahead of the elections.

He maintained that the party was taking the 2027 contest seriously and would leave nothing to chance.

According to him, the APC’s performance in bye-elections and other polls conducted since the 2023 general elections demonstrated the effectiveness of its political structures and preparation.

“Virtually all elections that has been called, bye-elections, whatever election, since the last general elections, we’ve won fantastically. There is a reason for that. It is because we prepare, we do not take anything or leave anything to chance,” Morka said.

He explained that the party was finalising its campaign strategies and preparing for a large-scale mobilisation exercise ahead of the polls.

“We prepare, we do our homework, we put together our systems and we trigger massive campaigns, which is what we are about to do,” he stated.

The APC spokesman also dismissed suggestions that the party’s early preparations were a sign of desperation, arguing that planning ahead was a normal responsibility for any serious political organisation.

Morka subsequently criticised Atiku and Obi, accusing them of concentrating on what they believe Tinubu has failed to accomplish rather than explaining what they would do differently if elected.

“So, look, I don’t think it’s a sign of desperation to prepare. As a matter of fact, I think we are more preparing than the people in the opposition,” he said.

He added, “The Atikus, The Peter Obis, who are simply shooting the breeze, doing nothing to speak for themselves rather than tell you what you think the president is not doing or should be doing.”

Morka insisted that the APC remained focused on its own agenda and was determined to contest and win the next general elections.

“We mind our business and we are in this to compete and win the next election,” he added.

During the interview, the APC spokesman was also asked whether Nigerians liked and trusted the ruling party.

Responding, Morka pointed to the party’s control of the federal government and several state governments as evidence of its electoral support.

“First of all, let me remind you that the APC is the governing party in this country, put in office by Nigerians. So, already, the answer to your question has been codified in an election of the APC, that is governing, not just at the centre but in so many states of our country. So, the answer is yes,” he said.

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Adeleke Under Fire As Accord Leaders Raise Alarm Over Role In Tinubu’s 2027 Campaign.

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Two leaders of the Accord Party in Lagos State have called on Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke to clarify his loyalty to the party following his reported appointment as coordinator of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign in Osun.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The leaders, Oke Sewedo, a party chieftain in Lagos West Senatorial District, and Oladeji Oluwatosin, the Lagos State chairman of the Accord Party, made the demand in an open letter addressed to Adeleke and the party’s national leadership.

They warned that Adeleke’s reported involvement in Tinubu’s re-election campaign could undermine the electoral prospects of Accord candidates in Osun and other parts of the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In the letter, the duo reminded the governor that he contested and won the Osun governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party.

“Your Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, contested and won the Osun State governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party.

“That victory was not merely a personal achievement; it was also a significant moment for our party and its members, who believed that Accord could provide a fertile and credible platform for grooming great political minds and careers, good governance, exemplary leadership and political change that will birth the new Nigeria of our national dream.

“However, the recent announcement naming Your Excellency as the Osun State coordinator of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign has understandably raised serious questions among party faithful,” they stated.

The party leaders questioned how a governor elected under the Accord platform could lead the presidential campaign of a candidate from another political party while Accord was preparing to field its own candidates for the same elections.

They cautioned that the development could jeopardise the party’s chances, particularly in Osun, where its candidates would be contesting for seats in the Senate, House of Representatives and other legislative positions.

“The concern is straightforward: how can a sitting governor elected under Accord simultaneously coordinate the presidential campaign of a candidate belonging to another political party, while Accord itself is preparing its candidates and supporters for the same general election?

“This portends grave danger to the electoral aspiration and prospect of Accord candidates in Osun State and Nigeria at large,” the letter read.

Sewedo and Oluwatosin further argued that Adeleke’s reported role could deprive Accord candidates of the electoral advantage they might otherwise gain from the governor’s political influence and support.

They emphasised that their concerns were not driven by personal grievances or disrespect for the office of the governor. Instead, they said the matter raised questions about the obligations of elected officials to the political parties through which they secured their mandates.

“These concerns are not accusations of wrongdoing. They are legitimate political questions that deserve a clear response from both the governor and the party leadership,” the letter added.

The Lagos Accord leaders subsequently urged Adeleke to state his political position clearly and demonstrate his commitment to the party if he still considered himself a member.

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