🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Abia State Governor Alex Otti calls for Labour Party unity after primaries, 1,211 candidates ratified
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Abia State Governor Alex Otti urged unity and reconciliation within the Labour Party following its nationwide primaries, warning that internal divisions could hinder its prospects in the 2027 general elections. Speaking at the National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, where 1,211 candidates were ratified, including Dr. Chibuzo Okereke as its presidential candidate, Governor Otti, represented by his deputy Ikechukwu Emetu, emphasized moving past primary contests to strengthen the party. He advised successful candidates to reconcile with fellow aspirants and foster unity across party structures, stressing the need for collective action and coordinated campaigns. The Labour Party has faced internal leadership disputes, but leaders at the NEC meeting highlighted reconciliation as crucial for electoral success. National Chairman Nenadi Usman appealed to aggrieved members to set aside grievances for the party's growth, noting that the primaries were successful. National Secretary Iheanacho Obioma reported that the primaries, held on May 30 across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, complied with constitutional and electoral guidelines. Presidential candidate Chibuzo Okereke accepted his nomination, pledging a people-centered campaign and unveiling his "Nigerians First" agenda and "Believe Again" message to restore public confidence.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadAccess Holdings Plc announced a profit before tax of N1.007 trillion, demonstrating the strength of its diversified platform and expanding earnings. Total assets reached N51.56 trillion, with customer deposits increasing. At its fourth Annual General Meeting, Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede stated that the company's 2025 performance reflected a deliberate strategy to strengthen long-term fundamentals while maintaining strong financial results. He noted that the group made a prudent decision to accelerate the recognition of legacy exposures and exit regulatory forbearance positions, leading to elevated impairment charges, which prioritized balance sheet strength and long-term resilience over short-term earnings. The AGM highlighted the group's evolution beyond traditional banking into a diversified financial services ecosystem, with growing contributions from investment management, insurance, and technology-driven platforms, including Access ARM Pensions, Access Insurance Brokers, Oxygen X Finance, and Hydrogen Payments. The board addressed shareholder concerns regarding dividend payments, clarifying that the non-payment was due to regulatory alignment and compliance within the banking subsidiary, assuring shareholders of a resumption once conditions are met. The company also reported progress in governance and leadership continuity, with Innocent Ike appointed Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and Ibironke Adeyemi as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Access
Must ReadReports indicate that some Nigerian politicians are selling properties in prime locations, such as Lekki, Ikoyi, and Maitama, to fund their campaigns for the 2027 general elections. This trend is observed a few months before official campaigns are set to begin on August 19, 2026, for presidential and National Assembly elections, and September 9, 2026, for governorship and State House of Assembly elections. Experts, including Tokunbo Akinhanmi, Publicity Secretary of the Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, and Dr. Muda Yusuf, Founder and CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, confirm this practice, citing the high cost of elections in Nigeria. Yusuf suggests that this could lead to a crash in property prices due to "distress sales" by politicians needing urgent funds. Toye Eniola, Executive Secretary of the Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria, attributes this to the commercialization of politics, where individuals are willing to sell assets to gain political office with the expectation of recouping their investment. Peter Adobamen, Chairman of Exclusive Estates, notes this as a cyclical, four-year trend where politicians use real estate to store value and then liquidate it for campaign capital. Israel Ihaza, Founder and CEO of Oikus, emphasizes that while selling personal assets to fund campaigns is not unusual, transparency, lawfulness, and proper disclosure of campaign financing are crucial.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited NNPC reported 24 pipeline theft cases across its network between 2025 and 2026. This disclosure was made by Andy Odeh, Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd., following a joint inspection of a vandalized section of the Nigerian Pipelines and Storage Company NPSC crude oil pipeline at Pai Community in the Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory. Nineteen cases were reported in 2025, and five have been recorded so far in 2026. The inspection involved NNPC, NPSC, the Office of the National Security Adviser Special Prosecution Team, the FCT Police Command, the Nigerian Army, and other security stakeholders. This followed the arrest of three suspected pipeline vandals in the Piri and Pai communities. NPSC, an NNPC subsidiary, manages over 5,000 kilometers of crude oil and petroleum products pipeline network. The company noted an increase in pipeline theft since 2024, alleging that criminals, posing as an “NNPC/Federal Government Taskforce for Recovery of Abandoned Pipelines,” conspire with locals to steal pipelines. Approximately nine kilometers of pipeline sections were stolen in 2025 along the Enugu-Makurdi-Yola corridor and between Piri and Izom on the Warri-Kaduna pipeline route. The five cases in 2026 occurred at Piri-Kwali and Gwagwalada along the Warri-Kaduna crude oil pipeline segment and at Badanga along the Jos-Gombe pipeline corridor. Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, represented