Politics

1.5 million FCT voters collected PVCs ahead of council poll – INEC

Published

3 months ago

February 19, 2026

As voters prepare for Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026, the Independent National Electoral Commission has released the number of voters that are expected to participate in the exercise.

In a statement signed on Thursday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, INEC, as of the close of PVC collection on February 10, 1,587,025 voters out of 1,680,315 registered in the FCT had collected their cards.

According to the commission, the figure represents a 94.4 per cent collection rate, while a total of 93,290 PVCs remained uncollected.

The statement provided a breakdown by Area Council stating, “Abaji Area Council recorded 75,517 collected PVCs out of 79,471 registered voters, representing 95.0 per cent collection rate.

“Bwari Area Council recorded 276,360 collected PVCs out of 295,711 registered voters, translating to 93.5 per cent.

“Gwagwalada Area Council recorded 196,184 collected PVCs out of 208,057 registered voters, representing 94.3 per cent.

“Kuje Area Council recorded 144,109 collected PVCs out of 148,286 registered voters, representing an outstanding 97.2 per cent collection rate.

“Kwali Area Council recorded 99,774 collected PVCs out of 107,203 registered voters, representing 93.1 per cent.

“Municipal Area Council recorded 795,081 collected PVCs out of 841,587 registered voters, representing 94.5 per cent.”

According to INEC, several Registration Areas recorded collection rates exceeding 99 per cent, highlighting strong grassroots engagement across the territory.

“The Commission commends voters in the FCT for their responsiveness and cooperation throughout the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) and PVC collection exercises.

“The impressive figures recorded across the Area Councils indicate strong citizen readiness to participate in the electoral process,” the statement added.

INEC reiterated that only duly registered voters in possession of valid PVCs will be allowed to vote on Election Day and assured that all necessary arrangements have been made to conduct a free, fair, and credible election.

Politics

1,000 Arewa members endorse Tinubu, okay Egbayelo for Lagos Assembly

Published

3 weeks ago

April 19, 2026

The Exclusives

As the 2027 political landscape begins to take shape, the Arewa community in the Apapa Local Government Area of Lagos State has formally declared its support for the second-term bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the legislative aspiration of Dr Mike Oladunjoye Egbayelo.
During a massive grassroots rally involving over 1,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), community leaders cited President Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda as the catalyst for their early endorsement.
Yahaya Matazu, Coordinator of the Sokoto Elders Forum (Apapa Branch), and Haruna Ibrahim, a prominent Arewa leader, emphasised that the president’s policies are designed for long-term national prosperity.
“Nigerians should learn to be patient. Greatness takes time, and we are ready to give the President our full support so he can achieve 100% success in his vision for the country,” the leaders stated in a joint address.
The endorsement extended to Egbayelo, who is eyeing a seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly (Apapa Constituency 1).
The Arewa community highlighted Egbayelo’s track record of inclusive governance, particularly his history of integrating non-indigenous communities into the local socio-economic fabric.
The group pointed to his extensive resume as evidence of his readiness: Pioneer General Manager: Apapa GRA Residents Association (AGRA). Executive Secretary/CEO: Apapa Community Security Trust Fund. Public Servant: Former Supervisor for Education, Youth, and Sports.
“Dr Egbayelo has consistently demonstrated the ability to build institutions and manage complex teams. He has never left anyone behind. We believe he is one with the people,” Matazu added.
Addressing the crowd, Egbayelo reaffirmed his commitment to the ‘One Lagos’ philosophy, promising that his representation would be blind to ethnic or religious divides.
“I grew up with the Arewa community; you are my brothers and sisters,” Egbayelo said. “I have never let you down, and I will not start now. The time for a united front has come, and under my watch, nobody will be left behind,” he added.
Egbayelo further bolstered the case for the presidency, telling the gathering that President Tinubu remains the most viable choice for 2027.
He argued that the foundations laid in the first three years of the administration have restored hope to a nation in transition, urging the community to remain steadfast in its loyalty to the APC.

Politics

Osun West Senatorial: Why I’m Running-Rovet

Published

2 months ago

March 26, 2026

The Exclusives

A leading senatorial aspirant for the Osun West ticket on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Waliyulai Adebayo Oladosu, has explained that he joined the race to offer quality representation to his people at the National Assembly.

Oladosu whose popularly referred to as Rovet, has expressed optimism that the party’s governorship candidate, Alhaji Bola Oyebamiji(AMBO), would emerge victorious at the polls, assuring as well that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu would be reelected as President of the country in 2027.

In a statement from his Media Unit, the well- known Iwo-born politician, while appealing to the APC leaders, stakeholders and members to ensure his emergence as the senatorial candidate of the party, maintained that his candidature would attract more votes to the party in the build up to the elections.

“To replicate the wonderful job of President Bola Tinubu, I’m assuring that if I’m given the APC Osun West senatorial ticket, we shall win. This will offer me the ample opportunity of further serving our people who have been yearning for good and quality representation all this while,” he stressed.

According to him, as an individual familiar with the needs of the people and the areas in the senatorial district, he would readily apply his knowledge, exposure and connections to attract the needed attention from the Federal Government and corporate bodies to mitigate the challenges being faced by them.

While calling for massive support for the APC at the coming elections later this year and in 2027, Alhaji Oladosu promised a direct link with the people at the grassroots who have always been left out in the scheme of things.

“I can assure you that my presence at the National Assembly will largely factor in the interest of our people at the grassroots, who always give so much but get little in return. Above all, if given the opportunity as from next year, by the grace of God, my voice in the hallowed chamber will be for the betterment of the senatorial district and the state,” he added.

The popular aspirant who is currently consulting widely across the ten local governments in the senatorial district, urged party members not rest on their oars in their mobilisation quest so as to ease the success of APC at the polls.

While calling for a unity of purpose among the party members across the state, he implored the people to always be peaceful and law-abiding in order to achieve the envisaged progress in society.

Politics

PDP, threat to APC in 2027, says George

Published

2 months ago

February 28, 2026

The Exclusives

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) member, Chief Olabode George, has said the main opposition is a threat to the second-term ambition of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

He said, despite efforts to liquidate PDP, the platform will survive and reclaim power.

George, a former military governor of Ondo State, raised the alarm that the APC-led Federal Government is forcing PDP members to defect, saying that it is an affront on democracy.

He said, “Because APC is threatened with the way we conducted our convention in Ibadan, they are now using INEC to truncate that process. But, Nigerians know their undemocratic game plan. That is why voters who have suffered from the APC’s bad policies are waiting to re-elect PDP in 2027.”

The party elder spoke at the swearing-in of newly elected ward, local government and state officers who emerged at the recent congresses.

At the ceremony held at the party secretariat, in Ikeja, were former Ekiti State Acting Governor Sunday Odeyemi, Senator Kofo Akerele-Bucknor, Mrs Aduke Maina, governorship aspirant Funso Doherty and Dr Amos Fawole, the chairman of the chapter.

George said, “Our governors and lawmakers are being forced and threatened to defect, but we are not bothered because the PDP is the only true national party in the country today. APC is just a coalition of strange bedfellows.”

He said PDP has lived up to expectations as a democratic party, unlike the APC that has indulged in the culture of imposition.

George said PDP stands for what is just, fair and equitable, adding that the Saminu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) has vowed to sustain these values as it prepares for next year’s polls.

Although he did not tender any evidence, George alleged plans by the APC to rig the 2027 elections, vowing that the PDP would resist the move.

He added, “In this rigging plot, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should also be careful. In PDP, INEC cannot choose our leaders for us. Opposition parties will resist this irresponsible behaviour from the umpire.

“What INEC is doing is shameful. Some of the characters in INEC were not born in 1962 when the crisis in the defunct Western Region started, due to the manipulation of democratic processes by the powers that be then.

We all know what happened between then and 1966, which eventually led to the civil war between 1967 and 1970, when over two million Nigerians died. So, INEC should be very careful.”

George urged party members not to panic, assuring that “the challenge PDP is facing today is temporary.”

He added, “Nigerians are waiting for us in 2027. Remain in the party and work for its progress.

From the North to South, East to West, PDP remains a strong political platform, offering great opportunities for members and Nigerians.

“It is only in the PDP that the interest of Nigerians can be better served.

“There is no coalition in today’s Nigeria that can be stronger than the PDP.

Ours is a reborn political party that has weathered every storm and can never go under. Those defecting must return to this Iroko political party. PDP is coming back to take over its place as the ruling party in the country.

I want to assure Nigerians that come 2027, PDP will take Nigeria to its rightful place in the comity of nations”