As the national convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) kicked off in Abuja on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, has revealed that aspirants for offices in the party will not be refunded in case they lose out.
According to him, the party expects aspirants to be fully aware of eligibility requirements, including the constituencies they intend to contest, prior to making payments for nomination forms.
There have been agitations from some aspirants in Rivers state that claimed they were not issued with nomination forms after paying the required fees.
Morka made the clarification on Friday during an appearance on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, as the party’s convention is ongoing in Abuja.
He emphasized that payments for expression of interest and nomination forms are typically non-refundable, saying that candidates should ensure they meet the necessary criteria before submitting any fees.
Morka added that although refunds are generally not provided, individuals who encounter issues may formally request reimbursement, which the party will review on a case-by-case basis.
He highlighted that while the party usually presumes applicants understand the requirements, exceptions have been made historically under special circumstances.
He stated, “Normally, payments for expression of interest and nomination forms are not refundable. The party presumes that applicants know what they are applying for.
“If someone applies for a position outside the constituency, that responsibility lies with the applicant. However, there have been instances where refunds were issued for special considerations, and such requests will be given due consideration by the party.”
Hajia Umma El-Rufai, mother of the embattled former Governor of Kaduna State Malam Nasir El-Rufai is dead.
Her death came as El-Rufai battles to regain his freedom from the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, which has been holding him since February 18, 2026.
Hajia Umma El-Rufai’s passing was made public on Friday, March 27, 2026, by her grand son on his Facebook page.
” Inna lillahi WA inna lillahi raji’un . From Allah SWT, we came ,and to Him we shall return. I would like to inform the public of the demise of my Grandmother ,Hajiya Umma El-Rufai who passed away a few hours.
” We are grateful for the life she lived and may Allah SWT bless her gentle soul . May He bless soul of the parents we have lost.
“On behalf of our family, we seek your prayers .Thank you” he wrote .
Although details of her death were not disclosed, Hajiya Umma El-Rufai was said to have died in Egypt where she was receiving medical attention.
The source reports that going by the March, 31, 2026 adjourned date by a Federal High Court, Kaduna Division, to rule on his bail application, El-Rufai is surely bound to miss both the burial and the three-day prayers for his late mother.
The former Kaduna State Governor is facing inter-agency investigations on multiple charges bordering on alleged money laundering diversion of public funds and security related Offences. The ICPC formally arraigned him on Tuesday March 24,2026 before Honourable Justice Rilwan Aikawa of Kaduna Federal High Court.
The Ondo State Government has unveiled some of the efforts to cushion continued epileptic power supply being experienced by residents amidst incessant power outage in the country.
This is coming even as the State Government apologized to the consumers over the persistent blackout, blaming the situation on nationwide challenges in electricity generation.
The State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Engr. Johnson Alabi, who briefed journalists in Akure, expressed regret over the hardship being experienced by households and businesses, noting that the current power outage was largely beyond the state’s control.
“We sincerely apologise to the people of Ondo State for the hardship caused by the current blackout. This is a national issue driven by gas supply shortages, which has drastically reduced power generation across the country.”
He explained that the drop in electricity supply nationwide—from about 6,000 megawatts to roughly 2,000 megawatts—has significantly impacted distribution to states, including Ondo.
Despite the situation, the commissioner assured residents that the state government is intensifying efforts to provide lasting solutions through strategic investments in electricity infrastructure.
“As a government, we are not folding our arms. We are committed to improving power supply through deliberate interventions in transmission, distribution and generation,” Alabi stated.
He disclosed that the government has approved the procurement of about 15 transformers in the first phase to improve electricity distribution in underserved communities.
“We are deploying transformers in phases to ensure fairness and transparency. These are not just for distribution; we are also ensuring proper installation and energisation so that communities can truly benefit,” he added.
Alabi further revealed that the Ondo State Power Company has taken over key electricity feeders previously managed by legacy operators, a move he described as a “major step towards energy independence.”
“With the takeover of these feeders, we can now extend power supply to more communities and exercise better control over distribution within the state.”
On transmission, the commissioner disclosed plans by the state to construct its own power grid to reduce dependence on the national grid.
“We are already engaging private investors to build a state-controlled grid. This will allow us to take power directly and distribute it, relying solely on the national grid,” he explained.
He added that the proposed grid would link the southern and northern parts of the state, improving reliability and boosting economic activities.
Speaking on power generation, Alabi noted that the government is creating an enabling environment for private investors to establish power plants across the state.
“We have issued licenses to several investors and some have already commenced operations. Our role is to support them so they can generate power that will serve our people efficiently.”
The commissioner also highlighted the government’s commitment to consumer protection, revealing that over N101 million had been recovered for residents affected by estimated billing.
“We are determined to protect our people. Through our regulatory efforts, we have ensured refunds where consumers were overbilled.”
While appealing for patience, Alabi assured residents that ongoing engagements at both state and national levels would soon ease the current power crisis.
“We understand the impact on businesses and daily life. We appeal for patience as efforts are in top gear to stabilise supply. In the coming days and weeks, we expect significant improvement.”
Nyesom Wike. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory,
By Ayodele Oni
Indigenous owners of Abuja are getting government’s recognition following move by the present administration to accommodate them in scheme of things.
And in a landmark move to strengthen the relationship between the government and indigenous authorities, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has presented land allocation documents to members of the FCT Council of Chiefs free of charge.
This is coming after 34 years after Abuja lost its status and designated Federal Capital Territory.
Abuja officially became the federal capital of Nigeria on December 12, 1999, replacing Lagos as the seat of government under the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida.
Speaking during a meeting with the traditional rulers in Abuja on Friday, the Minister also announced a total waiver on all statutory fees for the land titles, citing direct instructions of the President, Bola Tinubu.
Wike emphasized that while the legal framework of the FCT often overlooks original ownership, the Tinubu led administration recognizes the historical presence of indigenous people.
Wike added that, “We cannot deny the fact that there are indigenous people who were here before the creation of the FCT.
“The President said we must extend a hand of fellowship to you. If those who make peace cannot be appreciated with land, who should be?”
The Minister commended the monarchs for their roles in ensuring the “most peaceful” Area Council elections in the territory’s history.
To further enhance their capacity to maintain order, Wike promised the provision of utility vehicles for traditional rulers in the FCT.
The Minister further listed several key infrastructure projects nearing completion in the satellite towns, scheduled for commissioning this June to include the completion of the Airport-Kuje road dualization, progress on the Bwari-Zuba link road, Apo/Karshi and Basan Jiwa as well as completion of the “Arab Road” network.
The highlight of the event was the waiver of land processing fees, which Wike noted that it would be “unfair” to ask traditional rulers to scout for large sums of money to pay for land they have inhabited for generations.
The Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, who serves as the Chairman of the Council, expressed gratitude to the President and the Minister, pledging the continued support of the traditional institutions for the administration’s policies.
Following the rehabilitation of highways in Ondo State, the Government has set up Mobile Courts to try traffic offenders.
Explaining the rationale for the Mobile Courts, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Kayode Ajulo (SAN), pointed out that they are dedicated to the rapid adjudication of traffic offences across the State, and a corrective rather than punitive measure.
The Commissioner, who made this known in a statement, said the mobile courts would operate in partnership with the state Chief Judge, adding that their primary mandate was to deter road users from flouting traffic regulations rather than impose hardship.
He stated, “The courts will ensure that every violation is promptly addressed, protecting the gains of our development and safeguarding the lives of our people. The rule of law must ride alongside every vehicle on our beautifully rebuilt roads.”
The commissioner also praised Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa for what he described as a sweeping wave of physical transformation across the state, with particular commendation for the beautification of Akure, the state capital.
Ajulo described newly commissioned road intersections across the capital as engineering achievements that compared favourably with infrastructure in leading cities globally, noting that the traffic lights installed at the intersections blended technology with aesthetics.
He said, “Governor Aiyedatiwa is not merely constructing roads; he is sculpting a legacy of excellence, order, and beauty.
“These world-standard intersections, adorned with tasteful traffic lights that blend technology with artistry, have turned Akure into a capital that inspires pride in every resident and visitor.”
The attorney general called on motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians to imbibe road discipline, describing it as the highest form of civic responsibility.
He added, “True progress is not measured by concrete alone, but by the collective will of the people to honour the rules that make our shared space safe and serene. Let us match the Governor’s vision with our own commitment to order.”
Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Yemi Cardoso has disclosed that the apex bank has successfully slashed the Ways and Means by over N24 trillion within three years of the Tinubu’s administration.
The administration of Muhammadu Buhari has been trenchantly criticised for alleged abuse of W&M after it forced the CBN to lend over ₦23.7 trillion in ‘Ways and Means advances’ to the federal government under its tenure, the figure rose significantly to ₦30 trillion by early 2024, according to checks from the apex bank.
While comparing the 2023 figures with the current, the CBN Governor said the nation’s W&M now stands at N2.84 trillion as at January 2026, instead of N26.95 trillion.
Cardoso spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the 2026 Monetary Policy Forum, MPF saying the country’s has shown resilience and become ‘strongest in years”. He however sounded a note of caution, saying the figures are still looks very delicate.
He said the cut in W&M has shown government’s rediness to put an end to fiscal irresponsibility.
“This action restored compliance with the law, strengthened central bank independence, signaled to markets about the Bank’s commitment to orthodoxy and transparency, and sent a clear message that the era of fiscal dominance had come to an end,” he said.
Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode, has slammed the opposition African Democratic Party, ADC as a group of ‘discredited’ and disgruntled individuals, saying the party has no capability to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The country is set for a fresh election next year and the ADC has been touted as a major force capable of posing a strong challenge to the ruling APC next year.
Top politicians in the ADC include, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential candiadte of the Labour Party, LP, Rotimi Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, Nasir El Rufai, a former Governor of Kaduna state, and Babachir Lawal, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF.
Others are former Senate President, David Mark, immediate past Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, former governor of Osun state, Rauf Aregebsola, amonsgt others.
Not a few Nigerians insist that the ADC has what it takes to give APC a run for its money in next year’s election if its leaders can close ranks, citing the unpopularity of the ruling party and its non-performance since it took power in 2023.
But Fani-Kayode, an outspoken ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who was recently appointed as Nigeria’s Ambassador Designate to Germany by the president said the ADC is not ready to dislodge Tinubu and APC from power.
Speaking on his Facebook page, Fani-Kayode said the ADC is not ready for power, saying the party has failed to play the rile of opposition successfully.
He said those in the party have no capacity to run the country, noting that opposition has effectively collapsed in the country, citing, for instance, that ADC and other opposition leaders have failed in their role to hold the government accountable, accusing them of in-fighting rather than presenting a common front against the ruling party.
Hitting hard on their lack of cohesion, the Ambassador Designate said there’s no chance for the party to dislodge if it continues in internal squabbles and bickering.
Fani-Kayode: “I don’t see ADC as an opposition party: I see them as an association of people that are desperate for power.
“Individuals that are discredited, individuals that have no hope in hell of moving this nation forward. The opposition has collapsed in Nigeria.
“There is no opposition because they don’t even know how to be in opposition. How can they keep the government on its toes when they are busy bickering amongst themselves, fighting amongst themselves and they are fast asleep in bed snoring.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has met with some top leaders of the African Democratic Party, ADC in Adamawa state ahead the party congresses slated for April 7.
The meeting was held on Thursday night.
Apart from some leaders of the party who attended the meeting, some ADC coordinators, and other influential members of the party from the state, were also part of what some political analysts, has described as Abubakar’s consultations in preparation for the party’s congresses next month.
‘The former vice president is trying to ensure that his house is in order and not divied before next month, to ensure that those that matter in the state are with him. Politics is local, as they say,” a source privy to the meeting said on Friday.
Abubakar, who later wrote about the meeting on his verified X handle said he’s confident of his political prospect in the ADC, considering what is currently happening in the party.
He wrote: “We reviewed the current state of our party, particularly regarding the ongoing registration of members and mobilisation efforts.
“We are confident about where we stand now and enthusiastic about prospects.”
Abubakar told those who attended the meeting, the importance of strong organisational structures and active engagement with party members at all levels, across the country.
The former vice president, the magazine reports is one of the aspirants eyeing the ADC presidential ticket in the upcoming 2027 election. Other aspirants include, Rotimi Amaechi, an erstwhile Rivers state Governor and former Minister of Transportation under the Muhammadu Buhari’s adminsitration, Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP and former governor of Anambra state.
ADC and other political parties, according to INEC guidelines and in line with the Electoral Act are expected to pick their presidential candidates before the end of May.
A social media critic, VeryDarkMan, (VDM) has cast doubts over the claim by Blessing CEO that she is suffering from stage 4 cancer.
Blessing CEO, a self-acclaimed relationship expert, shocked not a few on Wednesday when in a viral video, she emotionally announce she is battling with stage 4 breast cancer.
In the video, she solicited for financial assistance from the public for treatment. She said she is putting up her expensive wigs, and cars and house for sale so as to fund her chemotherapy treatment. She said the Cancer is not only taking a toll on her finances, but on her physical appearance as she is fast losing her hair.
On her disclosure of battling stage 4 cancer, many
Nigerians, especially, celebrities reacted by encouraging her.
But reacting to Blessing CEO, VeryDarkMan, on Thursday, in a video he shared on his Instagram page on demanded proof. He asked a medical report from Blessing which backs up her claims.
VDM: “I just hope what Blessing CEO is saying is the truth. Because I hope it is not prank, clout chasing or something she wants to use to gather money because cancer is a very sensitive matter globally.
“Cancer is not something that someone should joke with because it has claimed many lives. And till tomorrow, there’s still no cure for it.
“I’m not convinced enough that Blessing CEO is saying the truth. Because you did not provide the report of the hospital that diagnosed you. You said a lot of resources has gone into your health. You did not put the receipt of the money you’ve been spending together for the public to see. You just came with emotional blackmail. Post the proof here.”
Friends, admirers, and the “Obidient” fanbase of the former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Obi, love to call him by the sobriquet “Okwute,” which in Igbo, Nigeria’s third-largest socio-linguistic group, means rock, boulder, or stone. Quite a nice alias – especially if you associate some doctrinal nuances of Obi’s faith with his first name, Peter.
The symbolism of the name Okwute, borne by males, signifies one who is strong, dependable and unyielding in Igbo cosmology. But a nice alias is not necessarily a fitting one.
The fluidity with which Obi moves around the political circuits has little, if any, resemblance to a rock, boulder or even a stone. Except, of course, if he’s a rolling stone, lacking in constancy, bereft of moss. A rock or a boulder is solid, come rain, come shine; it is constant in and out of season.
I’m not suggesting that Okwute should have remained in Onitsha or Aba. That would be absolutely ludicrous! After all, life is a journey.
Peter the Clay
I’m saying that this Obi is a Peter of Clay – malleable, confused, and lacking in staying power. He’s drifting, mistaking a jungle for a zoo. This should be a great source of worry for his troops, especially the social media-based avatars (without voter cards), who deify Obi and whose political signature tune is “the Obi-way or the highway.” His political history needs no retelling other than to record what a missed opportunity it represents.
After the tale of him winning the 2023 presidential poll – an election in which he punched above his political weight and won in 12 states – even if only with narrow margins outside his south-eastern enclave, Okwute fragmented like sedimentary rock thereafter. It would have been sufficient for him to build on his good showing at the poll, but claiming he won an election in which his party had no agents in about 54 percent of the polling centres was a stretch.
A Yiaga Africa Report on the 2023 elections said that while the APC deployed agents in 96 percent of polling units, the Labour Party deployed agents in only 46 per cent. Agent deployment is a critical factor in election performance.
Failed romance
The man who became the de facto and adopted candidate of the Nigerian Labour Congress and sundry trade unions – a substantial voting bloc, failed to seize the initiative after the poll. He went on throwing tantrums, wasting energy and resources in litigation, and missed the opportunity to consolidate and build the structure of the Labour Party – a convenient vehicle he had appropriated overnight, barely three days before the presidential primaries of his previous Peoples Democratic Party in May 2022.
Justice Ayo Isa Salami, a retired president of the Appeal Court and an eminent jurist, has criticised Obi’s midnight migration to LP as an illegality that would have excluded him from the presidential contest. Salami said Obi’s participation was the result of poor judicial diligence and perhaps a lack of experience on the bench.
Okwute’s jump also stirred speculations and gave credence to the claim that he was deliberately avoiding primaries in the PDP.
Missed opportunity
Yet his near-spontaneous entry into the LP created a political wave that came at high tide. Not only was it dynamic, but it was the stuff of legend. Sustaining it beyond the elections would have made a great difference because LP very much needed nurturing, growth and strategy. But Obi was not paying attention, focusing instead on the next election rather than rebuilding the party.
LP adapted to Obi rather than the other way around. It even accommodated Okwute’s capitalist credentials into its semi-socialist fold. Nothing really mattered so long as LP had a presidential candidate – an ‘Okwute’ in the race.
Without as basic a requirement as agents to represent it at the polling units, LP went into the general elections and performed barely short of a miracle, winning one governorship, six senatorial and 34 House of Reps seats in one go. It was a foundation on which any serious politician would have built an inspiring career.
But the momentum was left to waste, casting him in the light in which his former adversary-turned-friend, Governor Nasir El-Rufai, described: a Nollywood actor. Okwute watched the slow but sure unravelling of the LP, as it collapsed from factional crisis.
Mr Peter Obi
Rather than being the elder in the house and leading the LP to consolidate on its initial achievements, he bolted. He has now pitched his tent with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), an assortment of mostly aggrieved power-mongers, in whose company the former Obi might have been immensely uncomfortable.
The game in town
Yet, even in this temporary shelter, the only game is who takes the presidential ticket. While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is preparing as if elections were tomorrow, collecting defectors, aggressively registering new members, and even testing its election situation room (all this despite its poor record in office), the opposition is missing in action. The opposition’s strategy appears to be to sufficiently discredit the process before elections to hide its own catastrophic incompetence.
Whether Okwute sees it or not, he has expended his store of political goodwill without reinvesting or making good capital of it. The man who won Lagos, the impregnable home of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Federal Capital, catchment area for the government in power, has by word and deed, proved that it was a fluke – an emotional response from the young and aggrieved and a bloc of Christian voters thirsty for change.
That Kano visit
On Sunday, Okwute visited Kano on a Sallah homage to Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). In 2023, an expected alliance between Okwute and Kwankwaso failed because Kwankwaso, with a wider political footprint but no less ambitious, would not be Obi’s vice presidential candidate.
Kwankwaso had said offering Obi the vice presidential slot under him was a “golden opportunity,” implying that Obi would be lucky to join his ticket rather than the other way around. For good measure, Kwankwaso said age, experience, and performance disqualified Obi from the presidency, hinting that the NNPP would collapse if he accepted a subordinate role to Obi.
With Obi now in ADC and Kwankwaso still nursing the remnants of his NNPP, it is a good time to ask who is gravitating toward whom. The ambitions of both men are well known, and the ADC’s presidential ticket is nearly foreclosed.
Obidients won’t accept anything less than an Okwute presidential ticket. Kwankwaso’s impressive crowd, more on the streets with their red caps than behind touchscreens, is no less vociferous. They won’t hesitate to tell Obidients that RMK is bigger politically, older, and a PhD holder with far superior performance as governor.
And the Kano crowd – especially at Sallah – was, as usual, huge and dramatic. They received the guest as they would a mascot. In Kano, every player thinks they have the crowd until they see a bigger one.
Obi has paid the price for a ticket to the zoo, but he’ll soon find that he’s in a jungle.
Ishiekwene is Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the book, Writing for Media and Monetising It.
