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Supreme court affirms Soludo as APGA governorship candidate

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Professor Charles Soludo
Chukwuma Soludo
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The supreme court has affirmed Chukwuma Soludo, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the November 6 election in Anambra state.

The five-member panel of justices led by Mary Peter-Odili also affirmed Victor Oye as the national chairman of the party.

APGA has been plagued by internal crisis which led to two factions producing candidates for the Anambra governorship election –Soludo from Oye’s faction and Michael Umeoji from Jude Okeke’s faction.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier picked Umeoji as the party’s candidate following two different court judgments by Musa Ubale, judge of a high court in Jigawa state (who upheld the suspension of Oye as national chairman) and Bello Kawu, a judge of the federal capital territory (FCT) who ordered INEC to monitor the primary election of the Okeke faction and comply with the result.

However, a court of appeal sitting in Kano on August 10 affirmed Oye as national chairman of APGA — meaning the return of Soludo as the governorship candidate.

Aggrieved by the judgment of the Kano appeal court, Edozie Njoku and Chinedu Okoro, both chieftains of the party, filed an appeal before the Abuja division, asking that the ruling be set aside.

Ruling on the appeal marked CA/AW/256/2021, filed against Sylvester Ezeokenwa and five other party chieftains, the Abuja division of the appeal court held that the suit constituted an abuse of judicial process.

In a unanimous decision read by Jummai Sankey, the appeal court held that it was bound by the doctrine of ‘stare decisis’, a Latin phrase which means ”let the decision stand”, adding that setting aside the ruling of the Kano division will amount to questioning its own judgment.

The panel of three, led by Monica Dongban-Mensem, president of the court, also said the Abuja division lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit.

The sum of N10 million naira was also awarded against the appellants in favour of Ezeokenwa and APGA.

The matter was further appealed to the supreme court.

In its judgment, the apex court unanimously upheld the judgment of the Kano state appeal court division which validated the primary election that produced Soludo.

According to the supreme court, the appellate court was right when it quashed a Jigawa state high court judgment that recognised a parallel primary election that was conducted by the Okeke-led faction of APGA.

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Ex-Tinubu Aide Denies Breaching APC Primary Rules, Says He Resigned Before Contest

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Former Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on National Assembly Matters, Ibrahim Olarewaju, has denied allegations that he failed to resign his appointment before contesting the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Ekiti North Federal Constituency II seat.

 

 

 

Olarewaju, who won the party’s primary in May, said he resigned from his position effective March 31, 2026, in compliance with the directive issued to political appointees seeking elective offices.

 

 

 

The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Ado Ekiti by his media office and signed by Moses Owoyemi.

 

 

 

The statement described reports alleging that the former presidential aide breached constitutional and party regulations by participating in the primary election without resigning as “false, misleading and unsupported by facts.”

 

 

 

According to the statement, Olarewaju fully complied with all constitutional, legal and party requirements before contesting the primary election.

 

 

“His resignation as SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters took effect on March 31, 2026, in compliance with the directive issued to political appointees seeking elective office. It is incorrect and misleading to suggest that Olarewaju’s participation in the primary election violated any provision of the law. Allegations, no matter how loudly repeated, do not amount to evidence,” the statement said.

 

 

The media office added that the resignation was a matter of public record and could be independently verified through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and published media reports.

 

 

It also dismissed claims that Olarewaju circumvented due process, describing him as a public servant whose career has been marked by integrity, transparency and strict adherence to the law.

 

 

The statement attributed his victory at the APC primary to years of grassroots mobilisation, accessibility and commitment to the people, saying the exercise was conducted transparently and in line with the party’s guidelines.

 

 

It said accredited delegates from Moba, Ilejemeje and Ido-Osi Local Government Areas freely elected Olarewaju as the party’s candidate and commended party leaders, delegates and members for conducting themselves peacefully during the exercise.

 

 

The media office also applauded other aspirants for accepting the outcome of the primary in the interest of party unity.

 

 

It said Olarewaju remained committed to fostering unity within the APC and mobilising support ahead of the 2027 general election, urging members of the public to disregard claims not backed by verifiable evidence.

 

 

 

While acknowledging that post-election grievances were common in politics, the statement advised aggrieved aspirants and their supporters to seek redress through the APC’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms or appropriate legal channels rather than the media

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Supporters Flood Government House as Ado Ward 9 Celebrates Oyebanji’s Second-Term Victory

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Supporters and members of the All progressives Congress in Ado Ward 9 has staged a colourful victory walk to the Governor’s Office in Ado-Ekiti to celebrate the re-election of Governor Biodun Oyebanji for a second term in office.

 

The jubilant supporters, chanting solidarity songs and waving banners, described the governor’s victory at the poll as a reflection of the confidence reposed in his administration by the people of Ekiti State.

They said the massive electoral support received by Governor Oyebanji was a testament to his people-oriented policies, inclusive style of governance and remarkable developmental strides across the state.

 

The victory walk was led by the Leader of Ward 9, Alhaji Ademola Bello; the Ward Chairman, Mrs. Falilat Korede; and the Ward 9 Councillor, Hon. Mayowa Ogunsakin, alongside party faithful, youths and women from the ward.

 

Speaking during the celebration, the ward leaders congratulated Governor Oyebanji on his resounding victory and expressed appreciation to the people of Ward 9 and the entire state for their support during the election.

They noted that the governor’s first term had brought significant improvements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture and workers’ welfare, adding that his re-election would provide the opportunity to consolidate on the achievements already recorded.

 

The leaders also reaffirmed the commitment of Ado Ward 9 to continue supporting the governor’s administration in its efforts to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people of Ekiti State.

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Ekiti Has Spoken Loudly Through the Ballot, Says Ayodeji Ajayi

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A former member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and current Board Member of the Ekiti State Waste Management Authority (EKSWAMA), Hon. Ayodeji Ajayi, has congratulated Governor Biodun Oyebanji on his re-election as Governor of Ekiti State.

 

 

Ajayi, who represented Ise/Orun Constituency in the State Assembly, described Governor Oyebanji’s victory in the just-concluded governorship election as a clear demonstration of the confidence and trust reposed in him by the people of the state.

 

 

In his congratulatory message, the former lawmaker said the governor’s victory was a reflection of the administration’s commitment to good governance, inclusive leadership and sustainable development across the state.

 

 

According to him, the outcome of the election signifies the appreciation of Ekiti people for the numerous developmental projects and people-oriented policies implemented by the Oyebanji administration since assuming office.

 

 

He noted that Governor Oyebanji has distinguished himself through prudent management of resources, improved infrastructure, support for workers and pensioners, as well as deliberate efforts to enhance economic growth and social welfare in the state.

 

 

Ajayi, commended the people of Ekiti State for their peaceful conduct throughout the electoral process, describing the election as a triumph of democracy and the collective will of the electorate.

 

 

The EKSWAMA board member also praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and other stakeholders for ensuring a credible and transparent electoral process.

 

 

He expressed confidence that the governor’s second term would bring about greater development, accelerated economic growth and improved living standards for residents across the state.

 

 

“Your re-election is a testament to your exemplary leadership, dedication to service and unwavering commitment to the progress of Ekiti State.

 

The people have spoken through their votes and renewed their mandate because of the remarkable achievements recorded under your administration,” Ajayi stated.

 

 

He urged residents of the state to remain united and continue to support the governor in his efforts to build a more prosperous and inclusive Ekiti.

 

 

Ajayi, further called on political actors to put aside partisan differences and work together with the government in the interest of the state’s development, stressing that the election was over and that the focus should now be on delivering greater dividends of democracy to the people.

 

 

He prayed for divine wisdom, strength and guidance for Governor Oyebanji as he begins another term in office, expressing optimism that the administration would consolidate on its achievements and take Ekiti State to greater heights.

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