By Our Reporter

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has declared that no court ruling, political pressure or alleged manipulation can force him out of the 2027 presidential race, insisting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu cannot use the judiciary to escape the judgment of Nigerians at the ballot box.

Atiku, in a strongly worded statement issued on Friday, said he remained firmly in the presidential contest and would not abandon the struggle to provide Nigerians with an alternative political direction.

Reacting to the latest court ruling, the former Vice-President cautioned against interpreting the decision as the will of the Nigerian people, maintaining that the ultimate power to determine the country’s political leadership rests with voters.

“Let no one mistake the latest court ruling for the will of the Nigerian people. No manipulation, conjecture or concoction can erase our place in this contest, silence our campaign or deny Nigerians the right to choose their future. We are on the ballot, and the people must be allowed to decide,” he declared.

Atiku also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of deploying political pressure, courtroom manoeuvres and other tactics to weaken opposition parties and undermine the country’s multi-party democracy.

He questioned the ruling party’s confidence despite its claims of controlling 32 governors and attracting politicians from opposition parties, arguing that a government confident in its performance should have no reason to fear a free and credible electoral contest.

According to him, the alleged efforts to weaken opposition parties, alongside attempts to compromise the voters’ register through artificial intelligence-generated photographs, false names and fictitious identities, represent a dangerous development for Nigeria’s democracy.

He warned that such actions, if allowed to persist, could push the country towards a one-party political system.

The former presidential candidate challenged the Tinubu administration to defend its performance before Nigerians rather than resort to what he described as political manoeuvres aimed at frustrating genuine opposition.

Taking a swipe at the Federal Government’s economic management, Atiku listed the removal of fuel subsidy, the depreciation of the naira, rising food prices, factory closures and the worsening economic hardship as major failures of the administration.

He also expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation, pointing to the persistent activities of bandits and kidnappers, which he said had continued to hold communities hostage.

“Market stalls stand empty. Feeding your family has become a daily struggle. Fuel prices keep rising, and silent pain fills homes across the country,” he said, describing the economic realities confronting ordinary Nigerians.

Atiku urged Nigerians not to lose hope or surrender their democratic rights, insisting that their votes remained the most powerful instrument for changing the country’s leadership.

He further assured his supporters that he was not withdrawing from the presidential race, declaring that neither threats, blackmail nor judicial interventions would discourage him from pursuing his political ambition.

“Let me be clear to every Nigerian who has stood with us: I am in this race. I am not going anywhere. We will be on the ballot. No threat, blackmail or court manoeuvre will make me abandon you or the cause we share,” he stated.

Reaffirming his opposition to a possible one-party state, Atiku said Nigeria’s democracy must remain open to competing political parties, diverse opinions and genuine electoral choices.

He challenged the APC and its leaders to test their popularity at the polls if they were confident in their numbers and achievements.

“If those in power believe in their numbers and their record, let us meet at the polls in a free, fair and credible contest,” he said.

The former Vice-President called on his supporters to remain calm, united and resolute, stressing that his campaign would continue to focus on the rising cost of living and the need to restore economic opportunities and democratic accountability.

He concluded with a direct message to President Tinubu, declaring: “Bola cannot use the courts to escape the judgment of Nigerians at the ballot box.”

Atiku served as Nigeria’s Vice-President between 1999 and 2007

By Our Reporter

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly pressuring hotels in Abuja, the nation’s capital, to deny the opposition party access to their facilities.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Osa Director, NDC national publicity secretary, alleged that “desperate attempt to constrict the democratic space and muzzle the opposition is on the increase”.

Director said Rockview Hotel cancelled NDC’s booking on two occasions after initially agreeing to provide facilities for its meetings.

According to him, the first incident occurred in June 2026, when the hotel allegedly withdrew its approval for the party’s second national executive committee (NEC) meeting at the last minute.

“The NDC has not just been a target of violent attacks by agents of the ruling and ruinous APC, it has become a soft target of discrimination by hoteliers and the hospitality industry in Abuja,” the statement reads.

“On two occasions, Rockview Hotel in Abuja after agreeing to the use of their facilities for our meetings without genuine excuse cancelled the grant in the last minute of negotiation.

“The first time it happened was when at the last minute they rejected our request to hold our 2nd NEC meeting in June, 2026.

“Only recently, they refused our utilization of their facilities for a meeting saying it was order from above.

“Similarly, the BON Hotel, Wuse, Abuja bluntly refused our usage of their facilities for a meeting despite meeting all conditions placed on our path.”

Director added that the NDC’s recent unveiling of its national campaign council was nearly disrupted after the host hotel requested a refund of the payment already made, saying it was no longer willing to provide the venue.

He said the hotel eventually allowed the event to proceed after the party insisted on using the facility for which it had paid.

The NDC spokesperson said Nigerians deserved better, adding that the opposition party was prepared to serve with passion and patriotism.

“This is not democracy. The APC should allow all parties to campaign without let or hindrance and give Nigerians the opportunity to make their choice on who governs them,” he said.

“In addition, we implore all well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy to call out Rockview and BON Hotel for their anti-people and anti-democratic actions.

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‎Ahead of the 2027 general election, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon Auwal Lawal Daura, has thrown his weight behind the re-election bid of president Bola Tinubu

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‎Auwal, whose father, Lawal Daura, a former Director General of the Department of State Security (DSS) is the vice presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) called on the north to support president Tinubu’s re-election, and allow the south complete it’s turn in 2031

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‎The Chairman of ALD Foundation and 

‎Wakilin Raya Kasar Daura emphasised the need for political actors and stakeholders to uphold the agreement in principle, between the North and Southern Nigeria to rotate the office of president, noting that it would promote unity and inclusiveness in administration 

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‎While promising to mobilise total support for the APC victory in the presidential election, Auwal warned that truncating the rotation of the presidency in 2027 will deepen the division among the zones in Nigeria, as well as leave the north more divided ahead of 2031

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‎The APC chieftain therefore urged northern stakeholders to look ahead for 2031, while the south completes it’s tenure by voting for a southern candidate and the APC in the 2027 election 

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‎”The south should be given the opportunity to complete their tenure, while north takes it from them in 2031. The president and the south supported the north, through our late father, General Mohammad Buhari between 2015 and 2023, so I  think believe vying for the presidency in 2027 is not in the interest of a United Nigeria 

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‎”We will mobilise massively for President Bola Tinubu, he supported north, and therefore deserves our support this time. The APC will win massively in the north. This is payback time for the president 

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‎”We therefore urged our people to support a southern president in the 2027 election, so that the north will have a seamless contest when it gets to their turn in 2031. We cannot truncate this zoning arrangement at this time because of selfishness. Let the north wait till 2031 where we will bring out the best of the best from the north” Daura charged