Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The interim national chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Senator David Mark, announced that the party's newly formed opposition coalition has no preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 election, asserting that prominent figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi are all equal stakeholders despite internal bias complaints from Dumebi Kachikwu. This announcement comes amid a massive wave of defections to the African Democratic Congress across states like Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, and Ondo, involving notable politicians such as Mohammed Kumalia, Sule Lamido, Eyitayo Jegede, and Agboola Ajayi. In response to this growing political momentum, President Bola Tinubu’s aides, including Bayo Onanuga, and the All Progressives Congress National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, dismissed the coalition as a desperate gathering of failed, ambitious politicians, while Information Minister Mohammed Idris insisted the administration remains fully focused on its economic reforms. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party, represented by figures like Kamorudeen Ajisafe, Abdulkadir Dukku, and Umar Damagum, downplayed the political threat, stating their party structures remain secure and that many high-profile defections lack formal resignation letters. Adding to the friction, the African Democratic Congress has mobilized a team of ninety-seven lawyers under the leadership of Mohammed Sheriff to fight a federal lawsuit filed by Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Victor Tolu, and Haruna Ismaila to oust interim leaders like Senator Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, and Bolaji Abdullahi. The African Democratic Congress claims this legal challenge was deceptively sponsored by the ruling party using fraudulent plaintiffs who are not even registered members.

The ruling All Progressives Congress and major opposition parties have expressed sharply differing opinions regarding the Independent National Electoral Commission proposal for one hundred and twenty-five billion naira in the 2025 budget to cover ongoing operations and begin early preparations for the 2027 general election. The Peoples Democratic Party strongly criticized the request, labeling the funds as reward money for electoral misconduct and arguing that the commission lacks any moral justification for such a massive sum after receiving over two hundred billion naira in the preceding three years. Similarly, the New Nigeria Peoples Party questioned the necessity of the large allocation during a non-election year and urged the electoral body to implement cost-saving measures, such as partnering with banks for voter registration. Conversely, the African Democratic Congress and the Labour Party defended the funding needs, noting that the commission carries a heavy operational burden caused by frequent litigations, political thuggery, and the extensive management of party primaries, though they emphasized the need for absolute transparency and improved electoral credibility. Meanwhile, the ruling party urged the public to withhold judgment until the commission provides a detailed financial breakdown, pointing out that its responsibilities extend far beyond conducting elections to include continuous voter registration, political party monitoring, and handling off-season polls.

President Bola Tinubu requested approval from the National Assembly for twenty-four billion dollars in fresh foreign loans, alongside a two billion dollar local bond and a seven hundred and fifty-eight billion naira pension bond. If approved, Nigeria's national debt could exceed one hundred and eighty-two trillion naira by 2026. President Bola Tinubu explained the funds would support critical infrastructure, healthcare, and agriculture. However, financial experts and opposition leaders sharply criticized the plan. Johnson Chukwu of Cowry Assets Management Limited and Muda Yusuf of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise warned that excessive debt servicing costs would overwhelm capital spending and called for private partnerships. Financial analyst Marcel Okeke, alongside civic advocates Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Debo Adeniran, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and Vahyala Kwaga, condemned the plan over poor transparency and risks of hitting debt thresholds. Politically, the Peoples Democratic Party, represented by Debo Ologunagba, alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his adviser Paul Ibe, slammed the request as irresponsible and called for its rejection. In contrast, economics professor Segun Ajibola supported the pension bond portion, noting that clearing outstanding liabilities for senior citizens is long overdue due to rising inflation.

The Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum, led by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, has scheduled an emergency meeting in Delta State to address escalating internal turmoil within Nigeria's main opposition party. The intervention follows a chaotic Board of Trustees session in Abuja that turned physical due to conflicting claims over the National Secretary position by Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye, both backed by differing appellate court orders. Amid persistent factional strife lingering from the 2023 elections, acting National Chairman Umar Damagum and Board of Trustees Chairman Adolphus Wabara reprimanded ambitious party leaders for fueling division, while assuring stakeholders that the critical National Executive Committee meeting will proceed in February to restore order, even as the ruling All Progressives Congress publicly mocked the opposition's internal dysfunction.

The Senate dismissed a sexual harassment petition filed by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, with the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions declaring it dead on arrival for violating Senate Standing Rules that prohibit a senator from self-submitting a petition and handling matters already before a court of law. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who skipped the committee hearing after her legal team secured a Federal High Court interim injunction directing the National Assembly to show cause against the disciplinary proceedings, previously accused the Senate President of making sexual advances and conditioning legislative approvals on personal favors—allegations that Senator Akpabio strongly denied as false and baseless. Meanwhile, the political fallout drew mixed public reactions, featuring a peaceful protest by supporters demanding the Senate President's resignation alongside an open letter from the Kogi Central Concerned Stakeholders distancing themselves from the lawmaker's actions and criticizing the escalation of the dispute.