Politics
High Voter Turnout In Kano Despite Delays In Some Areas
In Kano State, the general elections kicked off early in various polling units located in Madobi, Gwale, and Ungogo Local Government Areas with a significant number of voters turning up to participate in the exercise, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The polling activities began at 8:23 a.m. and were generally smooth, with the BVAS machine being operational. Salid Kabir, the Presiding Officer (PO) at Malami, confirmed to NAN that voters were being accredited and casting their ballots promptly.
As of 9:15 a.m., about 15 people had successfully cast their votes at the Malami unit of Tandu area, and the exercise was progressing smoothly. Mamood Sani, the Presiding Officer at Malami, noted that the BVAS system was swift in accrediting voters before allowing them to vote.
On the other hand, the presidential and National Assembly elections at some polling units in Ungogo local government areas of Kano started slowly due to the late arrival of election materials and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials. This caused delays and resulted in a slow start to the voting process in those areas.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), as of 8:55 a.m., only domestic observers and voters were present at the Rimin Gata Primary School polling units as INEC officials and security agents had not yet arrived.
In Rijiyar Zaki Ward 7, specifically at Polling Units 014, 015, and 043, male voters and party agents were observed waiting for the arrival of INEC officials.
Usman Umar, a voter, confirmed to NAN that he had been present at the polling unit since 7:00 a.m., eagerly awaiting the commencement of the electoral exercise.
“We have been here for almost two hours and there are no signs of security agents, INEC officials and voting materials,’ he said.
Zubaida Jibrin, an observer for YIAGA Africa, told NAN she was surprised that the INEC officials and security agents were yet to arrive at the polling units.
Arabi Sani, the party agent for the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP), expressed surprise that Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials had not yet arrived at the polling unit at the time of reporting, according to a news report.
In Dorayi Karma polling unit located in Gwale LGA, the accreditation process had not begun as of 8:25 a.m. due to the non-payment of officials’ allowances.
“We will not allow INEC officials to transport materials to other units unless they paid us N4,000 allowances,” one of the officials told journalists in Dorayi Karama.
Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has explained that the persistent crisis and legal disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party compelled him to defect to the All Progressives Congress.
The governor’s defection was formally announced on Monday by his deputy, Mani Mummuni, after a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Government House in Gusau.
In a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, the move was described as a necessary step taken in the interest of the state and supported by political stakeholders across Zamfara.
SEE ALSO: JUST IN: PDP Crisis Deepens as Appeal Court Upholds Ban on Ibadan Convention
According to the statement, Governor Lawal had remained committed to the PDP despite the ongoing leadership crisis and had made several efforts to reconcile factions within the party.
However, attempts to achieve peace and unity reportedly failed, leading to prolonged legal battles.
The development followed a judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court.
The earlier judgment had restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising the outcome of the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The governor was said to have informed political stakeholders during a series of meetings that he would make a final decision about his political future after the appellate court delivered its ruling.
Following the judgment, Lawal concluded that joining the APC would better position him to continue what he described as the “Zamfara Rescue and Rebuild Mission.”
His defection marks a significant shift in the political landscape of Zamfara State and could influence political alignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has handed a significant setback to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, dismissing his appeal challenging a Federal High Court ruling that questioned his eligibility to contest the upcoming governorship election.
A three-member panel delivered a unanimous judgment on Monday, affirming that the trial court acted correctly when it allowed Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, the plaintiff, to amend his originating summons.
ALSO READ: No Shake-Up in Ondo: Aiyedatiwa Denies Plot To Remove Deputy Gov
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who read the lead judgment, said the governor failed to show that the High Court’s decision caused any miscarriage of justice or denied him a fair hearing.
The appeal was therefore dismissed for lacking merit, and the court awarded ₦2 million in costs against Aiyedatiwa.
The ruling reinforces the November 24, 2025, Federal High Court decision in Akure, which granted Egbuwalo permission to challenge Aiyedatiwa’s eligibility for re-election.
Earlier, the Court of Appeal also rejected an application by Aiyedatiwa to set aside a January 27, 2026, order staying proceedings in the case before the Federal High Court.
The appellate court clarified that the stay was a lawful exercise of its jurisdiction aimed at protecting the integrity of the proceedings.
The panel further emphasized that attempting to overturn its own order would be akin to sitting on appeal over its own decision.
The governor’s remaining option, the court noted, is to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court. Another ₦2 million in costs was awarded against Aiyedatiwa.
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party has deepened following a ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja which upheld a ban on the party’s proposed national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
A three-man panel of the appellate court on Monday dismissed an appeal filed by a faction of the party led by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to hear a suit concerning the controversial convention.
The Turaki-led faction had approached the Court of Appeal after a Federal High Court barred the party from holding its planned national convention scheduled for November 14 and 15, 2025.
SEE MORE: Fubara Moves to Rebuild Cabinet as R/Assembly Screens Nine Commissioner Nominees
The lower court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising or validating the proposed convention.
However, delivering judgment, the appellate court ruled that the Federal High Court had the authority to entertain the case, rejecting the argument that the matter was purely an internal affair of the party.
According to the court, the appellants could not present what it described as a clear violation of the party’s constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as merely an internal party issue.
The panel subsequently dismissed the appeal and awarded a cost of N2 million against the appellants.
The ruling is part of judgments delivered in nine harmonised appeals filed by the Turaki-led faction over the dispute surrounding the convention.
The latest court decision is expected to further intensify the internal wrangling within the opposition party as it continues to grapple with leadership disputes and preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
NNPC Secures Tinubu’s Approval for $20bn FID on Bonga Deepwater Project
Dangote Refinery Cuts Petrol, Diesel Prices
CNG: Tinubu Orders Deployment of 100,000 Kits in Three Weeks
Fuel Price Shock: Nigerians May Soon Pay ₦1,500 Per Litre – Marketers Warn
Political Earthquake in Zamfara as Gov Lawal Dumps PDP for APC
Court Pushes Malami, Son’s Terrorism Financing Trial to April 15
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Things To Know About Threads, Zuckerberg’s Twitter-like App
