The Governorship candidate of the Accord Party in the August 15, 2026, Osun state polls, incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke said he is not intimidated by the ubiquitous Federal might and the large presence of All Progressive Congress, APC Governors, on the campaign train of his rival.
At the Arise Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, Governor Adeleke who is angling for a second term in office insisted that the APC Governors presence in Osun State,will not automatically translate to votes for the rival party.
According to Adeleke, the Governors, most of whom he referred to as friends, are doing their jobs as loyal party men, but maintained that the Osun voters will finally decide the outcome of the polls.
Describing himself as a “bulldozer”, the Governor declared his readiness to hold his own even with the Federal Might and the APC Governors campaigning for his opponent.
He emphasized that the Governors as party members have the right to campaign for their party, noting however that they are not part of Osun electorate.
“I am a bulldozer. I am not afraid of Federal might, and Governors backing the APC candidate. If they like, they should bring all the Governors to Osun State.
“Those Governors are my friends. I am a civilised administrator. They won’t vote; they can only come and dance, and after the election ,we will meet”, Adeleke stated.
Governor Adeleke is billed to face his major challenger APC’s Oyebamiji on August 15, 2026, in a contest that has already generated considerable interest and tension.
Primate Elijah Ayodele of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos, Nigeria, has slammed the Islamic Sheikh in Kano State who labeled Christians Infidels.
In response to the Islamic Sheikh, Primate Ayodele, while addressing Journalists at the International Headquarters of his Church in Oke-Afa, Lagos, on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, said that such a man is not worthy to be called a Sheikh, and called for his immediate arrest by Security Agencies.
He added that such statement is fanning the ember of hatred between Christians and Muslims.
He also condemned the Governor who was present at the event where such statement was made, and called on people not to vote such Governor again.
Primate Ayodele condemned the policy of mass wedding that see to the wedding of over 3000 citizens, some of them under age.
He called on the Government, the Department of State Security, DSS, to do well to arrest the man for calling Christians Infidels.
He added that if a Christian had made such statement, the DSS and Government would have gone after such a person.
He said, “One shameless old fool, that calls himself Sheikh, well, I won’t call him Sheikh because he is not worthy to be a Sheikh, he said in Kano that Christians are infidels.
“I am surprised that this person is still in existence.
“They are supposed to have arrested and jailed him, because if it is a Christian that said this or that it would have been the case.
“This is the issue of Muslim/Muslim Ticket, Nigeria is not mature for this Muslim/Muslim Ticket.
“The word infidel is an insult to Christendom and these are the people that even wanted Nigeria to be islamised. And when you are keeping this person, governor is there praising. That Governor must not be voted for.
“And in a situation like this, there is need to divide the country into Christian country and Muslim country, but the country does not even see this coming, that this can cause issues.
“If it is a Christian now, DSS would have ran after him, where is DSS now? The so- called DSS, where are they? Why can’t they arrest this man?
Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir
“There are a lot of injustice in this country. With that your yeye teeth, old man for nothing, brainless, you need to apologize, and even the governor that was there, how can a governor give marriage to about 2000 or 3000 people, spending state fund, some of them 17 years, are they mature?
“I don’t want to cause issues, these are some of the things that must be regularised in religious sector.
“Then the government, instead of them to do the right thing, that it will not cause issues in Nigeria, they will never do that.
“And that man is still there, he is old, I don’t know the kind of thing the people teach their followers.
“This man must be satanic, devil, destroyer, that supposed to be seized, but they were happy.
“The Muslim leaders instigate their members against the government and against Christians.
“When they say there is Christian genocide in Nigeria, these are the people that cause it.
“The governor was there happy and praising him. But why? This is a very serious matter,” Primate Ayodele fumed.
The All Progressive Congress, APC, has issued a 7-day ultimatum to the former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Kalu, and the member representing Ukwa East/Ukwa West at the National Assembly, Hon Chris Nkwota to either apologise for their alleged gross anti-party activities, or face disciplinary actions.
Both members of the 10th National Assembly had recently openly expressed their support for the re-election bid of the Abia state Governor, Alex Otti, a Labour Party, LP, Governor.
On a Channels Television Interview last week ,Kalu , representing the Abia North District, endorsed the second term ambition of Otti,as well as that of President Bola Tinubu his fellow APC member.
On his part, Hon Nkwota had, a couple weeks ago, during the visit of the Wife of the President to his Constituency for the promotion of the production of the popular Akwete local fabrics, declared his preference for Governor Otti ahead of the 2027 polls.
But in a communique issued at the end of its meeting on Monday, August 10, 2026, the state working Committee, SWC, of the Abia State APC described the conduct of both National Assembly members as totally unacceptable and unbefitting of their standing in the party.
In the Communique jointly issued by the state Chairman Hon Chijioke Chukwu and others,.the APC strongly condemned the statements attributed to Kalu and Nkwota and described them as irresponsible, unstatesmanlike,as well as inimical to the overall interest of the party in the State.
“The State Working Committee ( SWC) of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Abia State, at its meeting held on Monday ,10th August, 2026, extensively deliberated on recent public statements and actions attributed to two prominent members and leaders of the party, namely Senator Orji Uzoh Kalu and Hon Chris Nkwota, concerning the 2027 Abia state Governorship Election.
“After extensive deliberations, the State Working Committee unanimously, unequivocally, and strongly condemns in its entirety, the said statements and actions as unstatesmanlike, irresponsible, embarrassing and inimical to the unity, cohesion and electoral prospects of the All Progressive Congress in Abia states”,the APC stated.
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State
The party expressed serious concern that the two leaders’ anti-party activities and statements are coming at the very time the party is mobilising members and supporters across the 184 wards of the State for total victory in 2027 .
The APC, particularly, described as unacceptable the declaration by Senator Kalu on a national television that Governor Otti of the LP will win the gubernatorial polls in Abia State, when his party is known to have fielded a candidate for the same exercise.
“Similarly, the SWC expresses deep disappointment over the conduct of Hon. Chris Nkwota, who, in the presence of the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, publicly stated that he will vote for Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party in the 2027 gubernatorial election”,the communique noted.
The Party said it considers the action of the Federal Lawmakers and major stakeholders of the APC in Abia State very disturbing, and described their actions as amounting to gross acts of internal sabotage ,and anti-party.conduct intended to undermine and weaken the party.
Consequently, the APC called on the two party leaders to tender an unreserved public apology to the party ,its leadership, members and supporters in the State within seven days from the date of the communique.
“The apology must clearly demonstrate their commitment to the party, its Constitution, its leadership and the collective decision of the APC to present and support all its candidates in the 2027 General Elections, especially the Governorship candidate.
“Failure by either of the two individuals to comply with this demand within the stipulated seven days will leave the party with no option than to constitute a disciplinary Committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding their respective statements and actions, and make appropriate disciplinary recommendations to the competent organs of the party”, the APC added.
Ahead 2027 general elections, another attempt is being made by opposition political parties to forge an alliance aimed at defeating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
To this end, a major political meeting aimed at building a stronger opposition ahead of the presidential election is scheduled to hold in Abuja on August 18, 2026.
The meeting is being facilitated by the G100, a coalition of concerned Nigerians seeking greater cooperation among opposition parties and political leaders.
Leaders of the group claimed that they have held consultations with several opposition parties and their leaders, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Kwankwaso and Seyi Makinde.
The consultations also involved the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
According to the G100, the discussions have been positive and focused on how opposition parties can work together ahead of 2027. The group said the process would require compromise, sacrifice and putting national interest above individual political ambitions.
The biggest challenge, however, will be deciding who leads any possible alliance. Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso are all major political figures with established support bases, while Makinde has significant influence in the South-West and within the APM/PDP.
The 2023 election showed the danger of opposition division. Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso contested separately, dividing the opposition vote. A united opposition could therefore create a different electoral calculation in 2027.
But bringing these political interests together will not be easy. Personal ambitions, party structures, regional considerations, zoning and the choice of presidential candidate could become major points of disagreement.
For President Bola Tinubu and the APC, the proposed opposition unity deserves attention, but the August 18 summit should not automatically be interpreted as the formation of a presidential alliance.
It will be recalled that similar meeting was held in Ibadan, Oyo state also attended by prominent opposition figures.
The outcome of the meeting is defections by politicians interested in becoming presidential candidates, leading to bifurcation of the opposition parties.
For calling Nigerian Christians infidels, the National Human Rights Commission has called for the arrest and prosecution of Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yahaya Jingir, for making an inflammatory religious comment.
The commission made the call as the viral video where the cleric made comment continue to elicit sharp condemnation across the country.
The Islamic cleric made the remark on Monday during a political event organized by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Kano state. The state governor, Kabiru Yusuf was in attendance.
In it’s reaction, the umbrella body of Christians in Nigeria, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has condemned the cleric accusing him of trying to cause religious crisis in the country.
Some notable Muslim leaders have also condemned the cleric, saying his view did not represent the larger Muslim community in Nigeria
Having watched the viral video, the MN HRC said it considers the cleric comment very distasteful, capable of fuelling religious tension.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, the NHRC said it watched the video with “grave concern”, accusing the cleric of promoting religiously exclusive politics and using derogatory language against people he allegedly described as “infidels”.
The commission said Jingir also urged his supporters to obtain their voter cards and use them to demonstrate their political strength ahead of the elections.
For the NHRC, such rhetoric goes beyond political campaigning. It said the remarks amounted to hate speech and incitement to religious hatred, with the potential to trigger violence.
The commission stressed that the inflammatory statements from influential religious and political figures could deepen Nigeria’s existing religious divisions as the 2027 elections approach.
It further argued that failure to respond firmly to such statements could embolden other influential figures—both Christian and Muslim—to engage in increasingly provocative rhetoric.
“We cannot afford to look away,” the commission warned, stressing that allowing such conduct to continue could push the country towards avoidable crisis.
The NHRC consequently called on the Inspector General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services and other relevant authorities to take immediate action against Jingir.
No One Should Be Above the Law
Beyond the immediate case, the commission urged religious leaders, traditional rulers and politicians to exercise restraint and avoid statements capable of setting Nigerians against one another.
It also called on citizens to reject identity-based politics and judge political leaders on competence, performance, service delivery and respect for human rights.
The commission insisted that any prosecution arising from the alleged remarks must be pursued regardless of the suspect’s political status or affiliation.
Such action, it said, would send a strong message to anyone seeking to exploit religion for political gain during the election period.
Edo State governor, Monday Okpebholo, has approved the appointment of 4,800 special assistants who he tasked with the responsibility of taking development to the grassroots.
Those watching the Edo helmsman said the move is an ambitious grassroots political structures ahead the 2027 general election.
Okpebholo announced the decision on Monday during a meeting with APC members drawn from the 18 local government areas of Edo State at the Government House in Benin City, the state capital.
The governor said his administration was determined to ensure that government programmes and development opportunities did not remain concentrated at the state level but reached communities across the wards.
“We are taking governance to the grassroots, so that whatever is from the top will also go down to the bottom,” the governor said.
According to the details provided by the state government, the appointment spread across the state’s 192 wards, translating to 25 aides per ward,
The state helmsman noted that the appointment is part of a broader effort to bring government closer to the people while strengthening the APC at the grassroots.
But beyond governance, the appointments also carry a strong political dimension, according to those closely monitoring the south- south state.
Okpebholo acknowledged the role played by APC members in securing the party’s electoral victory, describing the appointments as recognition of their collective efforts.
He argued that the victory did not belong to him alone, but to the party and its members who worked to deliver the mandate.
More reactions are trailing the recent comment of a popular Islamic cleric in Kano state, Sheik Sona Jingir who described Nigerian Christians as infidels.
The cleric made the remark recently at a political event organized by the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC in Kano state, which had the state governor, Kabiru Yusuf in attendance.
Since he made the comment, the Islamic leader has received serious criticism from not a few Nigerians, who warned that such comment is capable of sparking religious crisis in the country.
Reacting, the umbrella body of christians in the country, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN described the cleric’s language as offensive and potentially dangerous, warning that such statements could deepen religious divisions and create an atmosphere capable of encouraging hatred and violence.
The Northern chairman of CAN, Rev. John Hayab, while condemning the comment said the circumstances in which the cleric made the remark made it more troubling.
Hayab spoke during an interview with Channels Television on Monday in his reaction to a viral video of Jingir’s making the remarks.
The CAN leader described the language used by the Islamic cleric as offensive and potentially dangerous, warning that such statements could deepen religious divisions and create an atmosphere capable of encouraging hatred and violence.
He also questioned why the remarks were not immediately challenged, particularly because they were allegedly made in the presence of political leaders.
“The man did not say it in his room; he said it in the presence of three governors, and they were all smiling. This is an action that should have been rebuked instantly,” Hayab said.
CAN Draws the Line
Despite its criticism of Jingir, CAN said it was not opposed to Muslims supporting Muslim candidates.
Hayab stressed that political support based on a candidate’s competence, character or political record was legitimate. What he rejected was the use of religious identity as a weapon against another faith.
According to him, describing Christians in derogatory terms could further damage relations between Nigeria’s religious communities.
He also called on the government to respond more firmly to inflammatory religious rhetoric, warning that silence could embolden individuals who make statements capable of threatening national peace.
“We must call out people like Jingir and the man in Kano who wants to sack every Christian. We must call them out so the government can act responsibly,” he said.
Meanwhile, the remark has also drawn sharp criticism from some Muslims and Islamic leaders in the country, who said the clerics opinion is not a true representation of the Muslim community in the country.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU, Imo State University Chapter, has vowed not to call off its ongoing industrial action until its key demands are met.
The IMSU-ASUU on Monday August 10, 2026, declared an indefinite strike action over the alleged failure of the Imo state Government to honour an agreement reached in 2025.
At a media briefing in Owerri, the State Capital, IMSU-ASUU Chairman, Stephen Oguji, informed that the decision to embark on strike became the last option after repeated appeals for the Government to respect the terms of the agreement proved futile.
According to him, the agreement which was brokered between ASUU and the Federal Government on December 23, 2025, and billed to commence in January 2026, has remained unimplemented by the Imo state authorities.
Oguji emphasized that several attempts, including the engagements with the University’s management presentation of the agreement, as well as issuance of a 21-day notice of industrial action failed to sway the authorities, hence the decision to embark on a strike action.
“Recall that the ASUU and FG on 23rd December 2025 signed an agreement for enhanced welfare of academic staff and for other conditions of service in public universities scheduled to take effect from 1st January, 2026.
“On this, ASUU addressed the media on May 11, 2026 ,after Yola NEC (National Executive Council) meeting. At the zonal level, approximately six weeks ago, ASUU Owerri Zone addressed the media calling on the Imo state Government to implement the agreement at IMSU .
“But unfortunately, nearly eight months down the line, nothing has changed at Imo state University, while implementation has since commenced in some state-owned Universities including those owned by Bauchi, Ekiti ,Ogun ,Osun and Sokoto states”, Oguji stated.
The IMSU-ASUU Chairman expressed disappointment over the continued failure of the Imo State Authorities to honour the agreement duly entered into between the Government and Union.
While calling on all well-meaning citizens to intervene, the ASUU Chairman vowed that the strike action will continue until the Government meets the demands of the lecturers
“ASUU-IMSU has, therefore, today ,10th August ,2026 embarked on a total and indefinite strike, and vows never to return to work until the agreement is fully implementated.
“The Union calls on the Government of Imo State, as a matter of urgency, to direct the immediate implementation of the 2025 ASUU-FGN Agreement at Imo state university as continued delay serves no useful purpose and only heightens industrial tension.
“ASUU-IMSU calls on well-meaning citizens of Nigeria and Imo State in particular, especially traditional and religious institutions, civil society organizations, parents, student unions as well as critical stakeholders in the education system to prevail on the Visitor to Imo State University to commence the implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement”, Oguji added.
Haruna Bashir has begun the process of picking the pieces of his life after losing his entire family members in what may pass as the most dastardly and gruesome circumstances.
The source reports that Bashir’s wife, Fatima Abubakar, and six children, were on January 17 ,2026 murdered by three suspected attackers , including Umar Auwalu, the 23-year old brother of his wife at the Dorayi Chranchi Quarters in Kano metropolis .
Expectedly, the unfortunate development shattered Bashir to no end, leading him into a life of melancholy and seclusion, while the police continued to prosecute the suspected masterminds.
However ,Bashir last weekend got a second chance at building another family as he was one of the participants at the Kano state Government-sponsored mass wedding ceremony for no fewer than 1500, couples .
According to Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa ,the Commander-General of the Kano Hisbah Board ,the host of the mass wedding , Bashir has begun the process of reclaiming his normal self after tragically losing his wife and six children.
The Hisbah boss said Bashir has been so severely weighed down by the loss of his entire household that he has been struggling to live a normal life.
But, Daurawa expressed the optimism that after re-marrying , Bashir has set out a journey to rediscovering himself .
“Since the tragic incident, he hardly interacted with people . But , today he is gradually returning to normal self”, Daurawa stated .
Bashir’s marriage last Saturday was but a climax of a sort in his rehabilitation process as the Kano state Governor, Abba Kabiru Yusuf had a couple of months back sponsored him on a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Governor had reasoned that Bashir’s journey to Umrah will provide him the opportunity to pray for the repose of the souls of his lost family members ,as well as serve as veritable balm to calm frayed nerves and prepare him for a return to normal self.
Instructively Bashir very much unlike the other beneficiaries of the Kano mass wedding, was gifted a new residential building at the Amana City Quarters.
According to the Kano state Governor, the gesture is aimed at providing Bashir with what he described as “a secure and dignified home after the traumatic experience of the loss of a family of seven.
The killers of Bashir’s family members, equally set his residence ablaze during the attack.
The source further reports that while each of the participants at the last weekend mass wedding received about N200,000 each as assistance , Bashir got a special package to equally aid his recovery process.
Meanwhile, the suspected killers of Bashir’s wife and children– Auwalu, Ishaku Yakubu ,a.k.a Chebe 40, and Yakubu Abdulaziz, popular as Wawo ,continued to be prosecuted on an 8-count charge bordering on conspiracy , culpable homicide ,rape , robbery, arson and possession of dangerous weapons at a Kano state High Court .
According to the prosecution ,the three suspects had on January 17, 2026 broken into Bashir’s residence , attacked and killed his wife, and six children with the remains of some of the victims recovered from a nearby well.
The Circumstances surrounding the death of Nollywood Actress, Tope Osoba, has continued to generate controversy, prompting her fans, colleagues and human rights activist, Yomi Fabiyi, to demand a thorough investigation and autopsy by the Police.
Fabiyi had, in a statement on his Instagram page on Monday, said his organisation, ‘Break The Silence Foundation’, has petitioned the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and commenced what he described as a “legitimate probe” into Osoba’s death.
Fabiyi said it was necessary to her death, as she had, allegedly, reported a matter to the Police shortly before her death.
Fabiyi wrote, “Our Human Rights Organization has initiated a legitimate probe into the death of TEMITOPE OSOBA and have since established legal action by first sending in a bundle via a PETITION to the COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, LAGOS STATE, no turning back.
“TOPE OSOBA reported the matter to the Police herself and established a criminal angle. She died a few hours later, and nobody was interested in the investigation.”
He further queried the decision to proceed with Osoba’s burial without an autopsy, urging those concerned to allow due process to take its course.
“Rushing to bury her in these circumstances without due process does not justify love, affection, or otherwise for her. It is simple common sense to wait if you truly care. Do the AUTOPSY before burying,” he said.
Fabiyi said his organisation would continue with its investigation regardless of whether the burial proceeded as scheduled.
“Burial or no burial, we will advance in our probe and get to the root of the matter. The law will catch up when it is ready,” he stated.
He also urged Nigerians to avoid allowing emotions and sentiments to interfere with investigations into deaths or alleged crimes.
“JUSTICE REQUIRES PATIENCE. We must be our brothers’ keeper, not by mouth alone but in all ramifications. Nigeria will get there, and it requires those willing and knowledgeable to keep pushing no matter whose ox are gored,” he wrote.
The Punch Newspaper had on Sunday 9th August 2026, quoted the late actress’ fiancé, Prophet Itunu Onadeko, to have made claims about the circumstances surrounding her final moments.
He had alleged that she died at a police station in Ikorodu, Lagos, although he said he did not know the specific station.
Onadeko also rejected speculation that her death was caused by complications from her previous battle with breast cancer, as well as other allegations surrounding her death.
Recall that the actress’ demise was announced by fellow actor, Alesh Sanni on Instagram. He described her as his “dearest sister” and said he could not sleep after learning of her death.
The actress had a long battle with Cancer, which it was said she survived, having come out to solicit for financial assistance from Nigerians when she publicly announced her health status.
Though the Awonuga/Osoba family warned against what it described as false, speculative and unauthorised reports concerning the circumstances surrounding her death, stating that she did not die of cancer as speculated.
The family urged the public to rely on information from authorised family channels.
Osoba’s burial is scheduled for Thursday, August 13, 2026, in Iperu Remo, Ogun State.
The funeral service is expected to hold at Saint James Anglican Church, Iperu Remo, followed by her interment at Iperu Remo Cemetery.
