Reports indicate that Akindele, despite widespread expectations, left the ceremony without a win even though her film Behind the Scenes received four nominations across major categories.

The movie, which grossed over ₦2 billion at the box office, was nominated for Best Movie, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

However, Ejiofor clinched the Best Supporting Actress award in a highly competitive category that included top stars, with Akindele also among the favourites due to strong online buzz surrounding her performance.

Other nominees in the category included Bisola Aiyeola (Gingerrr), Sola Sobowale (The Covenant), Nadia Dutch (Aljana), Amal Umar (The Herd), Juliebrenda Nyambura (MTV Shuga Mashariki), and Olamide Kidbaby (Oversabi Aunty).

Ejiofor’s winning role in The Herd saw her portray the wife of a kidnapped man played by Daniel Etim-Effiong in a socially driven satirical drama focused on insecurity and societal challenges in Nigeria.

Although The Herd had a modest box office performance compared to Behind the Scenes, it gained stronger traction on streaming platforms and secured multiple AMVCA nominations.

Ahead of the awards, Akindele had topped several online prediction polls, but the final decision rested with the AMVCA jury chaired by veteran actress Joke Silva.

In the Best Supporting Actor category, Bucci Franklin emerged winner for his role in To Kill A Monkey, beating nominees including Lateef Adedimeji, Gabriel Afolayan, Femi Adebayo, Femi Branch, Uzor Arukwe, and Simileoluwa Hassan.

Reports indicate that Dickson made the remark on Saturday during the party’s first national convention held in Abuja.

He explained that the NDC does not have internal factions like other political parties in the country and is not facing any legal disputes or internal conflicts.

According to him, there is currently no court case or appeal against the party, and all members are at liberty to contest for any leadership position in the 2027 elections.

Dickson also emphasized that the party remains united, stressing that no group or bloc exists within its structure that could create division.

He further maintained that any actions taken in the past that appeared to challenge freedom of association were violations of constitutional rights.

Reaffirming confidence in the party’s future, Dickson said the NDC, despite early opposition, has come to stay and has gained unprecedented public acceptance within a short period.

He claimed that no political party in Nigeria’s history has enjoyed the level of trust and enthusiasm currently being shown toward the NDC.

The former Bayelsa State Governor also stressed the importance of sustaining multiparty democracy in Nigeria, noting that the NDC was formed after concerns that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had been weakened.

He recalled the legal and administrative challenges faced during the party’s registration, which was eventually approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) following a court ruling.

Reports indicate that Malami confirmed his decision in a statement shared on Saturday via his social media platforms, where he cited worsening insecurity, poverty, poor healthcare, declining education standards, and economic hardship as key reasons for entering the race.

The former Justice Minister said he could no longer remain silent while residents continue to suffer what he described as deepening hardship and governance failure in the state.

Malami alleged that Kebbi State is currently facing a severe humanitarian and governance crisis, pointing to troubling figures in education, healthcare, poverty, and insecurity.

He claimed that over 67 per cent of children aged six to 15 are out of school, while more than 88 per cent are affected by multidimensional poverty.

He also raised concerns about the state of healthcare, saying maternal mortality remains high and that many rural communities still lack access to basic antenatal and medical services.

On security, Malami said repeated attacks by bandits and kidnappers have forced farmers off their land and left businesses operating under constant fear.

He accused the current administration of failing to adequately respond to the growing challenges facing citizens, saying government priorities have been misplaced.

Declaring what he called a “State of Emergency on Misgovernance” in Kebbi State, Malami promised that if elected governor in 2027, he would prioritize security, education reform, and healthcare improvement.

He said his ambition is driven by a desire for service, accountability, and sustainable development, adding that ineffective leadership must give way to purposeful governance.

Malami also called on the people of Kebbi State to support what he described as a collective effort to rescue and rebuild the state into a safer and more prosperous society.