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‘ADC Becomes Major 2027 Threat If Peter Obi Clinches Presidential Ticket’ – Okolugbo.
Public affairs analyst and former Media and Strategy Consultant to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Ken Okolugbo, has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) would pose a serious challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election if former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, emerges as its presidential candidate.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Okolugbo made the assertion during an interview on Wednesday, noting that a Tinubu versus Obi contest would significantly alter the political landscape.
According to him, the ADC’s threat level would rise considerably if Obi secures the ticket, though he expressed scepticism about that possibility, arguing that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar appears to already have a firm grip on the party’s presidential slot.
“ADC will definitely be a challenge if Peter Obi becomes the presidential candidate. I would be dishonest to say otherwise. Having Obi on the ballot would make the contest interesting,” Okolugbo said.
“However, judging by current developments, it seems Atiku already has the ticket. If ADC is serious about giving the APC a real fight, that is the route. But frankly, I don’t see them as particularly serious. I see them more as a coalition driven by opposition to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
He added that the opposition would become more formidable if Obi emerges and Atiku steps aside, stressing that a strong opposition is healthy for democracy.
“In all honesty, if Obi gets the ticket and Atiku subsumes his ambition, it will be very interesting. Opposition is good for democracy. Any system that claims it no longer needs opposition is practicing a wasted democracy,” he said.
Okolugbo also dismissed claims that the APC is coercing governors and other political figures into joining the party, insisting that defections are largely driven by internal democracy and President Tinubu’s leadership style.
He attributed the decline of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to internal mismanagement, particularly the failure to rotate the presidential ticket to the South and the imposition of candidates during primaries.
“What destroyed the PDP was its inability to manage internal democracy. You don’t allow people to buy forms and then impose candidates on them. That was a self-inflicted crisis,” he stated.
Okolugbo said many politicians were gravitating toward the APC because of President Tinubu’s perceived sincerity, experience and governance approach.
“President Tinubu is not a hungry man. He has seen money. What will impress him again? That perception has helped this government. People are joining the APC because they believe in his leadership, not because they are being forced,” he said.
He further pointed to improvements in national security and growing international cooperation, including renewed engagement from the United States, as evidence of the administration’s capacity to address challenges.
“Security has improved, and even the United States is now offering support they previously withheld. That tells you that President Tinubu understands how to confront and overcome national challenges,” Okolugbo added.
The 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) began nationwide on Thursday, with over 2.2 million candidates expected to participate across accredited centres.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The exam, conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), will run from April 16 to April 22 in multiple daily sessions.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, urged examination officials to remain highly committed and professional, noting that the success of the exercise depends largely on their dedication.
He gave the charge during a virtual final briefing for technical officers ahead of the examination, where he also praised staff, ad hoc personnel, service providers, and technical advisers for their roles in the successful conduct of the mock exam.
Oloyede said many of the issues recorded during the mock exercise were due to poor assessment of centres by some technical officials.
He further stated that incentive packages would be awarded to teams that perform exceptionally, particularly in handling exam materials and submitting timely reports.
Reiterating JAMB’s zero-tolerance stance on malpractice, he warned candidates against bringing prohibited items into examination halls.
He also disclosed that biometric verification and real-time monitoring systems have been deployed to protect the integrity of the exercise.
Candidates whose biometrics cannot be verified, he added, will be rescheduled to write the exam at approved centres.
Meanwhile, a NAN correspondent monitoring proceedings at Aduvie International School, Jahi, reported that the first session scheduled for 8:30 a.m. began slightly behind schedule at about 8:40 a.m.
The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, on Thursday inspected security deployments at Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across Abuja.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
According to the FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, the inspection is part of proactive measures to ensure a smooth, peaceful, and hitch-free conduct of the ongoing examinations.
The UTME is scheduled to run nationwide from April 16 to 18, 2026.
During the exercise, CP Sanusi assessed security arrangements put in place to safeguard candidates, examination officials, and CBT facilities.
He also engaged with centre supervisors, assuring them of adequate security presence throughout the examination period.
Adeh added that the CP reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order, warning that any attempt to disrupt the examinations would be met with decisive action in line with the law.
Over 700 former terrorists who have undergone deradicalisation and rehabilitation are set to be reintegrated into their communities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The Nigerian military has also dismissed reports alleging that beneficiaries of Operation Safe Corridor are being recruited into military institutions.
According to African Independent Television, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brigadier-General Yusuf Ali, made this known during a media tour of the Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Centre in Gombe, North-East Nigeria.
He said many Nigerians still misunderstand the Federal Government’s structured counter-terrorism initiative, which is designed to restore peace in communities affected by insurgency.
Brigadier-General Ali explained that the programme focuses on rehabilitation and peaceful reintegration of repentant individuals into society.
During the tour, some of the participants also shared accounts of their involvement in offences that led to their admission into the programme.
The facility inspection was part of preparations for the graduation of over 700 clients who have completed the deradicalisation and rehabilitation process and are set for reintegration.
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