Kelmi Lazarus, a former Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State, has officially defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Following extensive consultations with his supporters, Lazarus announced his move on Wednesday and declared his full support for the PDP governorship candidate, Professor Isa Ali Pantami. Lazarus, who previously served as the Gombe SDP chairman and General Manager of Radio Gombe, stated that his decision was driven by a conviction that Pantami possesses the integrity, vision, and leadership capacity necessary to foster development in the state. The Gombe State PDP welcomed the defection, viewing it as a significant boost to their political standing and a sign of increasing confidence in Pantami’s candidacy.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a notable political shift in Gombe State, former SDP governorship hopeful Kelmi Lazarus has joined the PDP, throwing his weight behind Professor Isa Ali Pantami for the upcoming election. Lazarus, who ran for governor on the SDP ticket in 2023, publicly urged his associates and the people of Gombe to support the PDP, characterizing Pantami as the most qualified individual currently in the race. The Gombe PDP chapter has expressed optimism regarding the move, noting that Lazarus and his supporters will be granted equal opportunities within the party as they work toward the shared goal of state progress. The party further noted that this development reinforces the growing support base for their platform and Pantami’s vision for a more prosperous Gombe.

Option 3: Quick Summary Former SDP governorship candidate Kelmi Lazarus has defected to the PDP, endorsing Professor Isa Ali Pantami as the top choice for Gombe State’s leadership. Lazarus stated that he made the move after careful deliberation, citing his belief in Pantami’s competence and commitment to purposeful governance. The Gombe PDP has welcomed Lazarus into its fold, describing the defection as a major positive development that reflects rising support for their candidate. The party has promised to provide new members with full access to participate in all party activities as they focus on their campaign objectives.

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has officially refuted allegations that it missed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline for submitting presidential candidates for the 2027 election. National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Haruna Mohammed stated that the party successfully uploaded its presidential and vice-presidential nominations at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2026, strictly adhering to all electoral guidelines. The party criticized previous media reports—which had erroneously grouped them with other parties failing to meet the Tuesday deadline—as misleading and unverified. Consequently, the faction has urged the public to disregard these claims and is calling for a formal correction to uphold professional accuracy.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Following reports that it failed to submit its presidential ticket to INEC by the Tuesday cut-off, the Wike-backed PDP faction has stepped forward to set the record straight. In a statement released Wednesday, the party confirmed that its candidates were submitted well within the required timeframe, specifically noting the upload was finalized on the morning of July 10, 2026. Describing the opposing reports as “false and misleading,” the party emphasized its commitment to following the Electoral Act and INEC’s formal procedures. The faction expressed concern over the lack of verification in the initial reports and is now demanding a correction, asserting that electoral compliance should be reported with greater precision to avoid misinforming the electorate.

Option 3: Concise Summary The Wike-backed faction of the PDP has dismissed claims that it missed the INEC deadline to upload candidates for the upcoming 2027 general election. National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Haruna Mohammed clarified that the party met all necessary requirements by submitting its presidential and vice-presidential ticket on Thursday, July 10, 2026. The party maintains that claims suggesting it missed the Tuesday deadline are inaccurate and failed to undergo proper verification before publication. The faction is now calling for a retraction of the misinformation to ensure fairness and transparency in political reporting.

In a significant legal development on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the final forfeiture of 48 properties associated with former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) successfully demonstrated that the assets were reasonably suspected to be the result of unlawful activity, rather than legitimate earnings. While the defense, led by Adedayo Adedeji (SAN), argued that the EFCC’s case relied on suspicion rather than concrete proof and maintained the properties were acquired legally, the court found they failed to dispel the suspicions raised. Notably, the judge denied the forfeiture of nine additional properties in Kebbi and Kaduna states, ruling that the commission failed to prove those specific assets were linked to illicit gains.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Option 2: Focus on the Legal Outcome Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the EFCC’s application for the permanent forfeiture of 48 properties linked to Abubakar Malami, the former Minister of Justice. Emphasizing that the core issue was the legitimacy of the funds used for acquisition rather than property ownership, the court ruled that the respondents did not provide sufficient evidence to justify their acquisition. EFCC counsel Jibrin Okutepa (SAN) had argued that the commission provided substantial documentation—including a 47-paragraph affidavit—to support the request for permanent transfer of ownership to the Federal Government. Conversely, Malami’s legal team had urged the court to dismiss the application, citing a 109-paragraph affidavit submitted to defend the assets’ legitimacy, though the court ultimately upheld the forfeiture for the 48 properties while releasing nine others from the interim order.

Option 3: Quick Summary The EFCC has secured a major victory following a ruling by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, which mandates the final forfeiture of 48 properties tied to former AGF Abubakar Malami. The court determined that the funds used to purchase these assets could not be traced to lawful sources. Despite objections from Malami’s counsel, who argued the EFCC lacked concrete evidence and based its claims on mere suspicion, the judge sided with the prosecution on the majority of the disputed properties. However, the court did rule in favor of the defense regarding nine other properties in Kebbi and Kaduna, setting aside the interim forfeiture order for those specific assets due to a lack of evidence of illicit origin.