Politics
Tinubu, Atiku Dispute Over Fuel Scarcity, Anti-Poll Plot
On Thursday, the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council engaged in another dispute over Tinubu’s claim that the PDP is planning to disrupt the upcoming February election.
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress’ presidential candidate, has accused the PDP of misusing $16bn earmarked for the power sector.
Meanwhile, the Atiku-Okowa campaign council has called on the Department of State Services and other agencies to investigate Tinubu for allegedly plotting to destabilize the country through a violent revolution and riots.
Addressing a large crowd of supporters in Makurdi, the capital of Benue State on Thursday, Tinubu said that his previous statements about fuel scarcity and currency redesign had been misunderstood.
He emphasized that what he meant was that the PDP had neglected the oil industry and had given oil blocs to themselves and their allies.
He said, “They (PDP) met good oil prices for 16 good years, they didn’t remember gas pipelines. They are what I called saboteurs yesterday. They gave PMS licences to their supporters and sympathisers. They are the ones who started creating fake queues. PDP, enough is enough.”
He also stated that the $16bn reportedly invested in the power sector was allegedly distributed among PDP leaders and their allies in Abuja.
Tinubu promised to establish student loan programs and provide hope to Nigerians, especially internally displaced persons in the state and workers who he said were not being paid their salary arrears.
Earlier, the leader of the party in the state and the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mr. George Akume, said that the Muslim/Muslim ticket was not a bad thing. He added that Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima, had the qualifications to rebuild Nigeria if given the chance.
However, the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) responded to Tinubu’s accusation that the PDP was responsible for the ongoing fuel scarcity in order to disrupt the elections.
PCC stated that Tinubu’s statement at the APC’s presidential rally in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, on Wednesday was an indication of the violence he was planning.
Recall that Tinubu, while addressing the crowd at Abeokuta, Tinubu almost proclaimed himself as the winner of an election that is still 29 days away, using the same sense of entitlement that he used to coerce his party members into giving him the ticket for the general election.
The PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) cited Tinubu’s statement that the upcoming election is a revolution and argued that Tinubu should be questioned by security agencies, as he has no immunity from prosecution.
It stated, “Tinubu is not too big and he has no immunity neither is he above the law of the land to be interrogated by the Department of State Services or by the Nigeria Police.
To avoid bloodshed in the coming election, the APC standard bearer’s comments must not be waved aside. For clarity, in political science, a revolution is a forcible overthrow of a government or social order in favour of a new system.”
The media aide of the People’s Democratic Party, further alleged that “from the information available to us, Tinubu has begun releasing money to some of his quack activists to stage protests in some strategic locations in the country, especially in Abuja, to cause violence ahead of the polls which he will lose.
Shaibu further argued that Tinubu’s claim that the PDP was responsible for the current petrol scarcity and shortage of new naira notes was a ridiculous accusation, considering that the PDP has not been in power for the past eight years.
In response, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said that Tinubu’s allegations against the opposition party indicated that “he has lost his mind.”
He added, “All this underscores the unstableness and unsoundness of mind of the APC presidential candidate. He cannot stand on an issue. He is unsteady and he cannot decipher the issues. I am not sure he is aware of where he is.
“He is saying today that the PDP is sabotaging and encouraging fuel shortages when the Minister of Petroleum is the President of the government that he boasted of installing and he turns around to blame the PDP.
‘’That goes to show whether indeed this man has the soundness of mind to aspire to be the president of this country. He is not aware of his environment. It is sad and terrible.’’
Meanwhile, PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, once again emphasized his support for restructuring as called for by southern states in the country.
He stated on Thursday that his administration would undertake the restructuring of the country if he becomes president.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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