…Supports nomination of Amupitan as INEC Chairman
By Hassan Taiye

Hours after the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri defected from the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC ) , Senator Seriake Dickson ( Bayelsa West) , slammed the move by accusing the governor and other defected ones , of running away from mess created by them .

Senator Dickson who reacted to Governor Diri’s defection after Senate plenary on Wednesday, however threw his weight behind the nomination of Professor Joash Amupitan as new Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) .

Senator Dickson though admitted that Governor Diri , consulted him several times on his plan to dump PDP but said he was never convinced as there was no compelling need for that , particularly from a second term governor ..

Nigeria according to him, being a plural society , deserves functional and vibrant multiparty democracy and not one party one which breeds dictatorship and authoritarianism.

He said : ” I am where I have been. I am where I am. I don’t believe that Nigeria should be a one-party state. And as a soldier of democracy, I’m used to the ups and downs of democratic practices and democratic life, and political life especially. And I’m still as constant. As a northern star.

“Steadfast in the Peoples Democratic Party. and working with my colleagues and friends to ensure that problems in the party are solved.

“I hope that the governors and the leadership working committee who created this mess in our party, all of them, and who instead of showing leadership, have created this mess and ensured that it has persisted for this long.

“And they are the ones now bailing out after creating the problem that they could not solve or refuse to solve. It’s very sad. Very, very sad. It’s making Nigeria look small and making our country’s democracy look ridiculous.

” We don’t really know what they are pursuing or what is pursuing them. But whatever it is, it belittles our democracy and endangers our multi-party democracy.

” I believe in a multi-party Nigeria. A plural Nigeria can only thrive on a plural democratic environment. That’s what has happened. But on the specifics of Bayelsa, you know, since I left and handed over to all the members who used to be part of my team, and I left, unlike others who are godfathers, I’ve not been a godfather. Left everything. No requests, no demands, no pressure. Only being available for consultation and advice.

“As in this case, the governor consulted me several times to his credit. And I was not convinced because I didn’t see any compelling reason for a second-term governor to defect.

“I’m just using this to say that I am still standing. in the PDP that gave my people ( the Ijaw Nation ) and the Niger Delta people an opportunity to run election, to emerge as vice president of this country, acting president of Nigeria, and president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,

” This other party cannot do that. And I’m standing there with the PDP. If and when, if we don’t succeed in retrieving the PDP, in saving the PDP, then we’ll be part of a collective decision, which again, should not be the ruling party.

“Because I believe there must be opposition. A democracy without opposition ceases to be democracy”.

On Amupitan , he said President Tinubu has made a very good choice and he will fully support confirmation of his appointment anytime the Senate screens him .

“I will be casting my vote, I will be supporting the nomination. And as a member of the Electoral Committee, and also a member of the Senate, I will work with colleagues to ensure that the electoral reforms we are championing see the light of day, and that Professor Amupitan is confirmed as Chairman of INEC.

“We expect him, as a professor of law and a senior advocate of Nigeria, the first senior advocate to be so nominated, to understand his place in history”

By: Fabian Apechihin

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mbah made the announcement during a press conference in Enugu on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, marking a major political shift in the South-East.

According to the governor, his decision to leave the PDP was driven by his desire to better serve the people of Enugu and to align his administration with the ruling party’s agenda for national development.

“Today, after a long period of reflection, we have decided to leave the PDP and join the APC,” Mbah declared.

He explained that joining the APC would offer Enugu State greater access to federal support and partnerships needed to advance his government’s developmental goals.

“This move will open new doors for Enugu and help us align with the APC’s vision for progress and prosperity,” he said.

At the event, Mbah reaffirmed his commitment to good governance and inclusive leadership, stressing that his loyalty remains with the people of Enugu.

“To my colleagues in the administration, I am grateful for your resilience. We have walked a path that often felt like a marathon without rest. Many of the ideas you put forward were dismissed as unrealistic, but you kept pushing the boundaries of what was possible,” he stated.

He also expressed appreciation to the PDP for the platform it provided during his political journey.

“To the Peoples Democratic Party, which gave us the platform to campaign and win, I extend deep gratitude. The PDP supported us through a demanding campaign and shared in our victory,” Mbah said.

The governor’s defection was greeted with chants from supporters as he joined them in singing the APC anthem, “On Your Mandate We Stand.”

Mbah’s move to the APC comes amid growing political realignments across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.

By: Fabian Apechihin

A fresh proposal by the National Assembly to bring forward Nigeria’s 2027 presidential and governorship elections to November 2026 has sparked outrage among opposition parties and civil society groups.

The proposal, contained in draft amendments to the 2022 Electoral Act, seeks to move the polls up by about six months — a move lawmakers say will allow all pre- and post-election litigations to be concluded before the May 29, 2027 handover date.

If passed, the new provision would mark a major shift from Nigeria’s traditional February or March election schedule, with the presidential and gubernatorial elections now expected to hold in November 2026.

According to Section 4(7) of the proposed amendment, “elections into the office of the President and Governor of a state shall be held not later than 185 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office.” A similar clause, Section 4(5), applies to National Assembly and state legislative elections.

At a joint public hearing on Monday, the House Committee on Electoral Matters, chaired by Adebayo Balogun, defended the proposal, saying it would “ensure that all election litigations are resolved before the swearing-in of winners.”

Balogun explained that the committee also intends to cut down tribunal timelines, proposing that the 180-day period for tribunal judgments be reduced to 90 days, with appellate and Supreme Court rulings expected within 60 and 35 days respectively.

However, the move has drawn strong backlash from opposition parties, who accuse the National Assembly of acting in bad faith.

The PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, described the plan as an attempt to “buy more time” for President Bola Tinubu, saying the proposal was unnecessary and ill-timed.

“If their plan is to give President Tinubu an opportunity to stay a bit longer before he goes, they should own up,” Osadolor said.
“What Nigerians want in the Electoral Amendment is not a change in election dates but stronger legal backing for BVAS and real-time result transmission.”

The NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, also faulted the move, warning that it could disadvantage opposition parties that have planned their political timelines around the traditional February/March elections.

“Those in government will be better prepared, while others will have to start afresh. Holding elections in November 2026 is too early and unnecessary,” he said.

Similarly, Yunusa Tanko, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, urged the National Assembly to seek public input before taking such a consequential decision.

“They should not take unilateral decisions that serve only their interests,” Tanko cautioned.
“Lawmakers must consult Nigerians through public hearings — history has shown that rushed, self-serving amendments often backfire.”