A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Bauchi State, Alhaji Usman Adamu, has come to the defence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, saying most of those accusing him of working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) have now joined the ruling party themselves.

Adamu made the remarks in Abuja while submitting his nomination forms for the Bauchi governorship race ahead of the 2027 elections.

The PDP aspirant dismissed claims that Wike was secretly backing the APC, arguing that many of the minister’s critics had already defected to the ruling party.

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“About 85 per cent of those accusing him have already officially decamped to the APC. Who is working for APC?” he asked.

Praising Wike’s political strength and influence within the PDP, Adamu compared the minister’s political survival to a football match where one player defeated several opponents.

“Before, about 14 governors ganged up against one person. Gradually, one after the other, you were scoring one, two. I have never seen such a scorer. In the end, the match ended 14-0. I am thanking Wike,” he said.

According to him, politics is like a battlefield that requires strategy, leadership and strong fighters to secure victory.

Turning to his governorship ambition, Adamu described himself as a unifying figure capable of bridging the gap between youths, women and elders in Bauchi State.

“I am not too old and neither too young to be a leader in this country. I will be the bridge between the women, youths and elders,” he stated.

On regional politics in the state, Adamu said he does not belong to either of the dominant blocs, stressing that he would stand as a neutral force for unity.

“We have a dichotomy in the state that is called Bauchi-Kataokum. I don’t belong to Bauchi, I don’t belong to Kataokum. I will be in the middle of this place,” he added.

The PDP governorship hopeful also expressed confidence in his chances of winning the election, even if the incumbent governor supports another candidate.

“Power and authority belongs to God and only Him can decide the future with certainty. Bauchi people are very wise and they can choose what they want for themselves,” he said.

Adamu further dismissed reports suggesting the PDP was losing relevance in Bauchi State due to internal crises and defections.

“As far as I am concerned, there is one party here, which is PDP. PDP has its stronghold in Bauchi. Most of the people of Bauchi are PDP and you cannot change them from that position,” he declared.

He also questioned the legitimacy of rival factions within the party, insisting that only leaders recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be taken seriously.

Despite ongoing tensions within the opposition party, Adamu maintained that the PDP would emerge stronger after its primaries and remain a major political force in Bauchi State.

The Kwankwasiyya Movement has issued a strong warning against what it described as growing political attacks on its leader, former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group, in a statement released on Friday by its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, accused some political commentators of deliberately targeting Kwankwaso with what it called misleading narratives aimed at undermining his political influence.

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According to the movement, the recent wave of criticism appears to be linked to discussions around possible political cooperation between Kwankwaso and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, under the proposed Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

The group said the idea of a broader political alliance has generated nationwide interest and support, as many Nigerians see it as a potential pathway to national unity and democratic progress.

However, it expressed concern that certain individuals and interests are uncomfortable with the emerging political alignment, which they believe could reshape Nigeria’s political structure.

“What appears to be troubling certain interests is not merely the possibility of political cooperation, but the enormous national potential such an alliance represents,” the statement said.

The Kwankwasiyya Movement further argued that a partnership between Kwankwaso and Obi could bridge Nigeria’s long-standing regional and political divisions by combining strong grassroots support in the North with widespread youth backing in the South.

It described the development as a rare opportunity in Nigeria’s political history, where leaders with independent support bases could collaborate across regional lines for national interest.

“For the first time in recent political history, Nigerians are witnessing the realistic possibility of a broad-based political understanding capable of bridging the long-standing regional divide,” the group stated.

The movement also criticised what it called double standards in how political figures are judged, alleging that similar political engagements by other actors are often praised while Kwankwaso’s are framed negatively.

It maintained that coalition-building is a normal part of democratic politics and should not be misrepresented as a threat.

Reaffirming Kwankwaso’s relevance in Nigerian politics, the group said his influence is built on years of grassroots engagement and public trust rather than federal power or elite backing.

The statement urged political actors and commentators to act responsibly and avoid inflammatory rhetoric, especially at a time when Nigeria is facing economic and security challenges.

The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress took a fresh turn on Friday after the Federal High Court in Abuja indefinitely adjourned a suit challenging the party’s leadership under former Senate President David Mark.

The case, filed by ADC chieftain Nafiu Bala Gombe, also challenges the emergence of former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola within the party’s leadership structure.

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Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter indefinitely after the plaintiff informed the court that an application had been submitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court seeking the transfer of the case to another judge.

At the resumed hearing, counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, disclosed that the Supreme Court had earlier dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed against the proceedings by Mark.

According to him, the apex court on April 30, 2026, ruled that the appeal lacked merit and also lifted the Court of Appeal’s earlier order staying proceedings in the substantive suit.

Haruna further told the court that the plaintiff had written a letter dated May 4, 2026, requesting that the matter be reassigned to another judge, urging the court to await the administrative decision of the Chief Judge.

The request, however, sparked strong opposition from lawyers representing the defendants, who accused the plaintiff of attempting to frustrate the accelerated hearing earlier ordered by the Court of Appeal and upheld by the Supreme Court.

Counsel for the first defendant, Realwan Okpanachi, argued that the defence had not been served any communication concerning the application, describing the move as an ambush.

Another defence lawyer, Sulaiman Usman, condemned the action, describing it as “forum shopping and judge shopping,” while P.I. Oyewole labelled the request “strange” and accused the plaintiff of inviting the Chief Judge to indulge in judicial misconduct.

Responding to the objections, Haruna maintained that the plaintiff stood by the application seeking reassignment of the case.

Delivering his ruling, Justice Nwite stated that the court could not take any action on the transfer request without first hearing from all parties involved.

He added that since the letter was addressed to the Chief Judge, the trial court lacked the authority to make pronouncements on it.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter indefinitely to allow parties file a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment, serve the defendants with the transfer request letter, and await further directives from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.

Gombe is seeking an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and others from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC, arguing that their emergence violated the party’s constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.