***Orrire school abductors plead not guilty to seven-count amended charges

By Nkem Okereh

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Thursday re-arraigned five members of the proscribed terrorist Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi Biladis Sudan (ANSARU) organisation who were accused taking part in the May 15, 2026, abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The defendants are also accused of complicity in the killing of two of the victims after they were taken hostages.

The accused were re-arraigned on a seven-count amended charge filed by the DSS on behalf of the Federal Government.

It would be recalled that the Security Services had earlier rejected the life sentence which was passed on the accused when they first appeared in court

All five defendants pleaded not guilty to the amended charges when they were read to them.

Following their not guilty please, head of the DSS legal team, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, asked the court to commence immediate trial of the defendants in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Rotimi, who is also Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation prayed the court to shield the identities of witnesses scheduled to testify and allow them to wear masks during proceedings to protect them.

The defence counsel, Bala Dakum, did not object to the applications.

Justice Salim Ibrahim subsequently granted the requests of the DSS counsel.

According to the amended charge, Mahmud Muhammad and Abubakar Abbas allegedly ordered the other three defendants, described as their “foot soldiers”, to kidnap and kill Nigerians in different parts of the country in the event of their arrest.

The prosecution alleged that the order led to the abduction of about 46 pupils and teachers from Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in Oriire Local Government Area.

The defendants are also accused of causing the deaths of Oyedokun and Olaleye, with the charge alleging that Olaleye was decapitated.

In another count, the defendants were accused of failing to disclose information about an imminent act of terrorism and the planned kidnapping to law enforcement or security agencies.

The prosecution further alleged that the defendants conspired with other persons to abduct about 46 schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire LGA.

Three of the defendants, Abdulrazak Umar, Yunusa Musa and Shamsu Adamu Sani, were separately accused of aiding the alleged kidnapping.

Mahmud Muhammad and Abubakar Abbas were also accused of concealing information about an imminent terrorist act that allegedly led to the May 15, 2026, abduction and the killing of two victims.

The charges were brought under various provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The terrorists in the attack which occurred on May 15, 2026, invaded three schools in the Ahoro-Esiele, Yawota and Alawusa communities of Oriire Local Government Area, where they abducted over 46 pupils and teachers

They held their captives for 56 days at the forest inside the Oyo national park, before they were rescued and freed following a joint security operation.

***PGF, Legacy group warn against supporting coalition candidates outside ruling party

*** Reject alleged plots to weaken party ahead 2031

*** Rainbow coalition support only for Tinubu’s reflection, not for state, Wike replies PGF

By Tony Chuddy

Ahead of the 2027 general election, the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), has criticised the alleged plans by some opposition party supporters of President Bola Tinubu to weaken and infiltrate the ruling party’s ranks under the pretext for support for the president’s re election.

The body of governors elected under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected what they described as the cross-party coalition and external political arrangements ahead of the 2027 general election.

Recall that former governor of Rivers state, and minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike had formed what he described as a rainbow coalition in some states to campaign for the re election of President Tinubu in 2027.

The coalition which has swept across Rivers, Katsina, Gombe and Kwara states, has brought members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some aggrieved members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) together, with the APC members picking PDP tickets to contest both governorship and national assembly elections, after losing same in the ruling party.

Rejecting the Nyesom Wike-led PDP’s rainbow coalition move to field its aggrieved members against the ruling , the Progressive Governors Forum said it will officially take charge of President Bola Tinubu’s reelection campaign within their respective states.

The APC governors who met Monday night at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, distance itself from any political coalition that could undermine the President’s interests or weaken the party.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, PGF chairman, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, said the APC will exclusively back its own candidates.

The Forum therefore urged its supporters to ignore any coalition report and support and vote only candidates who emerged on the APC platform .

“The forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support, or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the reelection of Mr. President, weakening the APC, or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels.

“In other words, the Forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate, because the election and our candidates are standing election as being sponsored by our party.”

The PGF emphasized that its campaign loyalty remains undivided, adding that “no arrangements that create confusion, divided loyalty, or competing interests within the party will be entertained.”

The governors maintained that they will remain at the forefront of the President’s reelection bid in their various states.

“All levels of the party’s campaign architecture will be aligned to the reelection of Mr. President and the strategic objectives of the APC, while maintaining national coherence,” Uzodimma stated.

The PGF chairman emphasized that the governors’ electoral mandate is strictly tied only to candidates produced by the party’s official organs, warning against competing interests or fragmented loyalties.

In a similar development, the APC Legacy group called on the progressive governors to guard against what it described as external forces that are aimed at destabilising and plot to weaken the ruling party with eyes on the 2031 elections

The group which is made of the legacy members of all the political parties that came together to form the APC in 2014, warned that some political heavy weights, who are not members of the ruling APC are currently using the pretext of coalition support for president Bola Tinubu’s re election to infiltrate and cause confusion in the APC, so as to weaken the party ahead of their 2031 political calculations

The APC Legacy group in a statement issued on Tuesday by it’s coordinator, Fubara Dagogo, called on the ruling party’s leadership to rise in support of the progressive governors, warning that no form of coalition should be accepted to weaken the APC

Dagogo who maintained that the APC has a strong structure to win a second term for President Bola in all the states, noted that “what the external forces are giving now is a Greek gift that could spell doom for the APC after the elections”

The group therefore joined the governors to call on all APC supporters to reject the coalition in their various states, while urging them to vote only candidates by that emerged on the ruling party’s platform

Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, has declared that he had no agreement with the APC governors to support their candidates, noting that his only concern in his rainbow coalition is to support and deliver the re election bid of President Bola Tinubu, while backing his party candidates at other levels of the election.

Wike, the national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who reiterated his support for the reelection of President Bola Tinubu, said he never promised that the PDP will not field candidates in governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections.

The Minister in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Communication and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said the Rainbow Coalition does not have anything to do with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He noted that the coalition is a platform for other political parties that are pleased with the “good works” of the President and are supporting his reelection, stating further that he would not be the one to help governors win elections in their States

He said, “politics is local and those having problems in their states should resolve them instead of using the reelection of the President to whip up sentiments.”

Wike reminded that he never met with the APC before himself and other members of the G5 supported the President in 2023, and maintained that for 2027, his support will be only for the president .

Querying the governors support for President Tinubu, Wike noted, “In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President and APC had less than 15 percent in the presidential election? Was it rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?

“Was it rainbow coalition that also made APC to win National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu states where the President did not have ten percent of the votes? If in 2023, the voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi voted APC in the Senatorial election and voted another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027 provided we all support the president genuinely this time?”

The Minister urged all stakeholders to put the presidential election first, saying; “after the President must have been reelected, we can all go and face elections in our states.

“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections.

“Most importantly, rainbow coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is our own way of mobilising support accross political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he said.

By Eze Nnadi

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has allayed opposition parties fear and loss of confidence over its ability to conduct a free, fair and credible 2027 general election that would meet international standards as it expressed commitment to conducting a transparent, credible, inclusive and peaceful election.

The commission gave the assurance when it received a delegation of the African Union (AU) Pre-Election Needs Assessment Mission on Tuesday in Abuja.

The AU delegation, led by former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, His Excellency Demeke Mekonnen, in Nigeria to assess the country’s overall electoral preparedness and identify areas requiring further support and intervention ahead of the upcoming general election.

Receiving the delegation at the INEC headquarters in Abuja, the Chairman of commission, Joash Anupitan described the AU misdion as an important opportunity for peer assessment, institutional learning and the strengthening of Nigeria’s electoral processes at a critical period in the nation’s democratic journey.

The chairman, who was represented by Prof. Rhoda Gumus said the commission values its partnership with the African Union in advancing democratic standards and credible electoral governance across the continent. She noted that the mission should not be viewed as a formality, but as an indispensable mechanism that strengthens institutional resilience and reinforces public confidence in the ballot box.

She highlighted the scale of preparations already underway for the 2027 General Election, stating that INEC is undertaking extensive operational, technological and logistical preparations to ensure effective participation by all eligible Nigerians. She added that lessons drawn from recent off-cycle elections in Anambra, the Federal Capital Territory, Ekiti and Osun continue to serve as valuable learning opportunities for the Commission.

The Chairman also outlined specific areas where technical and institutional support from the AU would be valuable, including digital training for ad hoc election personnel, countering election-related disinformation and deepfakes, strengthening the Election Monitoring and Support Centre, and deepening inclusivity and gender-mainstreaming frameworks.

She emphasised that electoral integrity remains a collective responsibility involving electoral institutions, political parties, civil society, security agencies, the media, development partners and the electorate, while reaffirming the absolute independence, neutrality and professional resolve of the Commission.

“The final outcome of the 2027 General Election will reflect nothing less than the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate,” he declared.

The chairman’s assurance comes as INEC intensifies preparations for what is expected to be one of the largest electoral exercises in the country’s history, involving almost 100 million registered voters, 176,846 polling units and more than 1.4 million ad hoc personnel.

The commission assured that under the watch of the current Commission led by Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, “every administrative decision will strictly follow the law, every technical deployment will serve transparency, and the final outcome of the 2027 General Election will reflect the sovereign will of the Nigerian electorate.”

Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the Head of the AU Mission, His Excellency Demeke Mekonnen , explained that the mission is designed as a supportive and consultative engagement to assess activities already on track, identify existing gaps and risks, and explore possible areas of technical assistance.

He noted that the mission will engage widely with INEC and other key stakeholders to examine preparedness in voter registration and register integrity, electoral technology, logistics, funding, inclusion, transparency, dispute resolution, security coordination and results management. He underscored the continued partnership between Nigeria and the African Union in promoting democratic governance across the continent.