By Our Reporter

Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed confidence that the party will defeat President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election, predicting victories in 13 states across Northern Nigeria.

Amaechi said the ADC was strategically positioned to win across the North-East and North-West, while also making significant inroads into the North-Central and South-South geopolitical zones.

He made the prediction on Saturday during the party’s presidential campaign rally in Bauchi State, where he accused the ruling APC of relying on electoral practices he alleged characterised the 2023 general election.

The former Rivers State governor warned that the opposition party would resist any attempt to repeat what he claimed happened during the last presidential election.

“Because these people will do what they did in 2023. This time, we shall not agree. Do you understand? We will not do what?” he said.

Amaechi, who is the running mate to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, maintained that the ADC had a stronger electoral base in the North, pointing to its anticipated support across the 13 states in the North-East and North-West.

“We are the only party that comes with 13 states. The whole of North-East, the whole of North-West, that is 13, right? Let the President tell us how many states he comes with. He comes with only five in the South-West,” he said.

He also predicted that the APC would lose another state in the South-West to the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), further weakening Tinubu’s electoral prospects in the region.

“That’s if he will. And the sixth state in the South-West will vote APM, whether he likes it or not,” he added.

The ADC vice-presidential candidate said his party was prepared to challenge the ruling party beyond the Northern region, particularly in the South-South and North-Central, where he expressed confidence that Atiku would secure victories in Niger, Kogi and Nasarawa states.

“We will fight with him in South-South. We will fight with him in North-Central. And be sure, be rest assured, Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa will be in ours easily,” he said.

On the South-East, Amaechi dismissed the prospect of Tinubu making significant electoral gains in the region, insisting that the ADC would emerge victorious in the presidential contest.

“He will not go to South-East at all. Be rest assured, we will win. We will win. Things will get better,” he said.

The Bauchi rally comes against the backdrop of an ongoing leadership dispute within the ADC, following a November 5 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the party’s National Working Committee led by former Senate President David Mark.

The court also invalidated decisions taken under the leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate, and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise resolutions reached at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.

However, the ADC rejected the ruling, declaring its intention to challenge the judgment in court and maintaining that its political activities and preparations for the 2027 elections would continue.

Atiku, who served as Vice-President from 1999 to 2007, emerged as the ADC presidential candidate during the party’s May 2026 primary, with Amaechi selected as his running mate.

Basketball icon, Hakeem Olajuwon will, this week feature on CNN’s African Voices Changemakers, a 30 – minute magazine programme sponsored by telecommunications company, Globacom.

The twelve-time NBA All-Star,and two-time NBA champion will, in a chat with CNN’s Larry Madowo shares his inspiring journey from Nigeria to the United States, where his extraordinary talent earned him the iconic nickname “The Dream.”

The 7-foot center who discovered basketball in 1978 at the Muslim Teachers’ College, Lagos was born in Lagos, Nigeria, on January 21, 1963 later relocated to the United States in the early 1980s to play college basketball for the University of Houston Cougars.

Olajuwon’s professional career launched when the Houston Rockets selected him as the first overall pick in the legendary 1984 NBA draft, which also featured top basketballers like Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton.

Beyond his historic club career, he won an Olympic gold medal with the United States national team in 1996 and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. His outstandibg career secured him inductions into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016.

Olajuwon was further celebrated on the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team in October, 2021. He retired as the league’s all-time leader in blocked shots (3,830), remaining one of only four players in NBA history to record a quadruple-double and the absolute leader in 5×5 games.

African voices comes up on DSTV Channel 401 this Saturday at 12:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. (West African Time), with repeats scheduled for Sunday at 4:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday at 4:00 a .m.and 6:45 p.m., Tuesday at 6:45 p.m., and continuing next week on Saturday at 12:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., Sunday at 4:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., and Monday at 4:00 a.m..

BY our reporter with agency report

Nigerian singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, says he received ₦100m from a politician following his participation in campaign activities organised by the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The controversial street-pop artiste made the claim in a video that circulated on social media on Friday, in which he appeared wearing an APC-branded shirt and a cap bearing the name of Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.

Portable, who also displayed campaign materials featuring the politician, claimed that he discovered the huge sum in his bank account after waking up from a nap.

According to the singer, the money was reportedly transferred on the instructions of Adeola in appreciation of his involvement in the party’s campaign activities.

Expressing excitement over the alleged payment, Portable said, “My dearest fans! I just woke up to an alert of N100m from Yayi! IBD Dende, oga mi! God bless you. Thank you! Yayi instructed them to send me the money. I took a nap, and God saved me from death.

“When I woke up today, I remembered that IBD had asked me to go home yesterday and said he would reach out to me. But some of my senior street brothers and street politicians came to tell me that Yayi was looking for me.

“Are you the one to tell me that Yayi is looking for me?’ I asked. They wanted to scam me, just as they did when Yayi sent money previously. I did not get a dime then.”

The singer subsequently expressed gratitude to God and the politician, describing the alleged payment as a significant financial boost.

“Thank you, Lord! Yayi has sent N100m. Thank you, IBD Dende. May your children be glorious! May you live long, my daddy. It shall be well with you. N100m is not a small amount at all!” he said.

The latest development comes weeks after Portable publicly acknowledged receiving financial benefits for participating in APC campaign activities in support of President Bola Tinubu’s anticipated re-election bid in 2027.

In October, the singer had appealed to Tinubu and his son, Seyi Tinubu, for additional payment after performing at an APC rally at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos on October 13.

In a video recorded shortly after the event, Portable was seen lying on the stadium floor, complaining about the physical exhaustion he experienced while entertaining the crowd and demanding an opportunity to meet the President and his son.
“I want to see Tinubu and Seyi Tinubu; they have almost squeezed me to death. I have fainted; it is Tinubu that is winning. Did we not collect money? Tinubu, pay me more money; I am feeling so much heat,” he said.

Although he admitted receiving payment for his appearance at the rally, the singer maintained that his performance and efforts warranted additional compensation.

In another video that emerged earlier in October, Portable also attributed an improvement in his financial circumstances to money received from participating in political campaign activities, following what he described as a period of financial difficulties.

However, the singer’s latest claim of receiving ₦100m has not been independently verified. Details surrounding the purported transaction, including the actual source and purpose of the money, also remain unclear.

(PUNCH)