Today’s Headlines: It’s Our Turn To Repay Tinubu-Shettima, Dokubo Asari Visits Ooni

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has called on voters in northern Nigeria to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.

Shettima made the appeal on Saturday at the party’s presidential campaign launch in Kaduna, where he highlighted Tinubu’s past political support for leaders from the North, including former President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the Vice-President, the region should respond to that support by backing Tinubu for another term and voting for APC candidates seeking elective positions across the country. He presented the appeal as an opportunity for northern voters to demonstrate political loyalty to the President and his party.

At the event, Shettima urged supporters to return the APC to office at both the presidential and other levels of government. He called on the audience to support the party’s candidates in the forthcoming elections, expressing confidence in the party’s appeal to northern voters.

The Amanyanabo of Elem Kalabari, Alhaji Mujahid Abubakr Dokubo-Asari, also known as Da Amakiri Tubo, has visited the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, as part of efforts to strengthen relations between the Kalabari Kingdom and Ile-Ife.

During the meeting at the Ooni’s palace, Dokubo-Asari invited the monarch and members of his traditional council to attend the final coronation rites, known as Se Diye, scheduled for December 19, 2026, in Buguma, Rivers State. He explained that the invitation was an extension of the cordial relationship between the two traditional institutions.

Oba Ogunwusi welcomed his visitor and entourage, commending the Kalabari monarch for the way he has handled his traditional responsibilities. The Ooni also acknowledged Dokubo-Asari’s relationship with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. According to a statement from the Amanyanabo’s media office, the meeting reflected a shared interest in preserving indigenous traditions and strengthening historical connections.

The visit was described as the third engagement in Dokubo-Asari’s outreach to traditional rulers across Nigeria. Earlier, he had met with the Sultan of Sokoto and the Etsu Nupe as part of efforts to encourage dialogue and cooperation ahead of his coronation ceremony. He was accompanied by Prince Tonye T.J.T. Princewill, family members and other aides.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to explain his administration’s response to hunger and poverty, following the President’s reported claim that the opposition was responsible for the country’s difficulties.

Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), argued that Nigerians wanted clear answers about the government’s performance rather than exchanges of blame between political parties. He maintained that the state of the economy and the security situation would be major issues in the 2027 presidential election.

In a statement released on Saturday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku accused Tinubu of shifting responsibility for economic hardship that, according to him, had worsened under the current administration.

The former Vice-President insisted that the government should account for its policies and explain what it had done to ease the pressure on households. His remarks added to the growing political debate over economic conditions and the performance of the Federal Government ahead of the next general election.

Terhemen Tarzoor, a former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and Nigeria’s former ambassador to Namibia, has criticised former governor Samuel Ortom over comments reportedly made about Governor Hyacinth Alia and his administration.

Tarzoor expressed his position while speaking with journalists in Makurdi. He argued that political leaders should be careful with their choice of words when discussing public officeholders, particularly when their remarks could affect the dignity of the governorship and the image of Benue State.

The former envoy reportedly took issue with comments Ortom made during a recent television programme, describing some of the expressions as inappropriate. He maintained that disagreements over governance and political direction should be addressed without undermining the respect attached to public institutions.

Tarzoor’s intervention comes amid political exchanges involving former and current leaders in Benue State. He urged political figures to exercise restraint in public discussions, stressing the importance of responsible communication even when they hold opposing views on the administration of the state.

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