Makinde, Ndume, Malami, Atiku, Turaki, Davido in the spotlight

Nigeria’s political space remained charged this week as cracks widened within the opposition, fresh controversy trailed federal tax reforms, and pressure mounted on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over governance and accountability. From Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s blunt rejection of Tinubu’s 2027 bid, to renewed calls for the suspension of disputed tax laws, enforcement of local government autonomy, and deepening legal and party crises, the developments underscored a season of high-stakes politics, power realignments and rising public scrutiny.

I won’t support Tinubu in 2027 – Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared he will not support President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election, urging former ally and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike to allow others make their political choices.

Speaking on Tuesday during a media chat in Ibadan, Makinde said he was surprised when Wike reportedly told Tinubu he would “hold the PDP” for him in 2027.

“I was in a meeting with President Tinubu, Nyesom Wike, and others when Wike volunteered to hold the PDP for Tinubu against 2027, and I was in shock. Wike can support the president in 2027, but I will not,” he said.

Makinde, a Peoples Democratic Party member, recalled telling the president that he could not help organise the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State. “I said, no, sir, I can never help you organise the APC in Oyo state because I am of the PDP,” he explained.

The governor stressed that while Wike has the right to support Tinubu, others should also have the freedom to make independent political decisions.

“The real issue is that Wike would like to support the President for 2027. That’s fine; it is within his rights. But some of us want to ensure that democracy survives in Nigeria, and that PDP survives as well. He should allow us to make our own choices,” he said.

He added, “I tried to engage him through a mutual friend, but when he did not back off, I confronted him directly. From that day, I made it clear I would never be part of this. Wike can support him, but it is also within my right to decide who I will support or what I will do in 2027. This explains the current conflict within the PDP.”

“It is within his right to do that. But also, it is within my own right to decide within the political space who I will support or what I will do in 2027,” Makinde said.

He said his immediate goal is to ensure the survival of the PDP.

“Some of us want to ensure that democracy survives in Nigeria, we don’t drift into a one-party state. And we want to ensure that PDP survives. It should also allow us to do our own thing,” he added.

Ndume urges Tinubu to suspend tax laws’ implementation

Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to suspend the implementation of the disputed Tax Reform Acts scheduled to take effect in January, amid growing controversy over their passage.

Ndume made the call in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, following claims and counter-claims over alleged alterations to the tax laws after their passage by the National Assembly.

The appeal comes amid protests by opposition politicians and civil society organisations, including the Nigerian Bar Association, which have demanded that the Federal Government halt the implementation of the laws.

Reacting, Ndume, who represents Borno South Senatorial District, urged Tinubu to set up an ad hoc committee to verify the authenticity of the laws and investigate the alleged alterations.

The former Senate Chief Whip warned that implementing the laws without resolving the allegations would create legitimacy challenges and undermine public trust.

He said, “With the controversy surrounding it, the President should constitute a team to verify the veracity of the claim and act accordingly.

“As a responsive leader that he has always been, he should look into it to find out whether the claim of alterations was genuine so that he will do the needful to bring the controversy to rest.

“If not, the controversy will continue. That is to say, the tax law will not be implemented, because you can’t build on nothing. So, Mr President should suspend the implementation until the issues are resolved because so many civil society organisations, the Arewa Community, the Nigerian Bar Association, are saying that he should withdraw the Tax Law and investigate the allegation of forgery.

“Therefore, Mr President should get to the root of the allegation of forgery. The small committee that will be set up should look into it while the House of Representatives does its own.”

Enforce Supreme Court ruling on LG autonomy, Atiku tells Tinubu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged President Bola Tinubu to implement a Supreme Court ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments, warning that continued delay harms communities at the grassroots.

Atiku made the call in a statement posted on his official X page on Wednesday, noting that the government has spent nearly two years without enforcing the Supreme Court’s directive.

“Supreme Court judgments are final, not optional. Persistently refusing to enforce one is a direct breach of the Constitution and a violation of the oath you swore to Nigerians,” he wrote.

Atiku stressed that withholding financial autonomy undermines local governance and development.

“Local governments are the closest arm of government to the people. By withholding their financial autonomy, you are not weakening governors—you are crippling communities, stalling development, and deepening poverty at the grassroots,” he added.

He called on the President to instruct the Attorney-General of the Federation to enforce the judgment immediately, saying, “The solution is simple. Anything short of this is a failure of leadership.”

President Tinubu had earlier addressed the issue during the 15th National Executive Committee meeting of the All Progressives Congress, urging state governors to comply with the Supreme Court verdict.

He warned that non-compliance might compel him to issue an Executive Order to ensure direct allocations from the Federation Account to local councils.

The Supreme Court ruling, delivered on July 11, 2024, upheld the Federal Government’s suit seeking to enforce financial independence for local governments, affirming their right to direct allocations from the Federation Account Allocation Committee.

Turaki-led PDP NWC fumes as INEC withholds recognition

The national working committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for withholding recognition of its leadership, insisting that there is “in law and fact” no faction within the party.

The reaction followed INEC’s decision to decline a request by the Turaki-led PDP to recognise the NWC that emerged from the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November, citing pending court cases arising from the disputed exercise.

In a letter dated December 22, addressed to the party’s legal representatives, Akintayo Balogun & Co, INEC said the matter remained sub judice and that it could not take any administrative action that might pre-empt the outcome of ongoing legal proceedings.

The Turaki-led NWC is backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed.

The November convention, which produced a new set of national officers, followed a series of conflicting court rulings. While some Federal High Courts in Abuja issued orders restraining the PDP from holding the convention over alleged breaches of its constitution and the Electoral Act, an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan cleared the party to proceed and directed INEC to monitor the exercise.

A rival faction of the party opposed to the Ibadan convention, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, later announced a parallel national working committee, board of trustees (BoT) and national executive committee (NEC).

Subsequently, the Makinde-backed PDP formally wrote to INEC, requesting the commission to recognise Turaki as the party’s authentic national chairman and to update its records accordingly.

However, INEC, in its response, said it would not update its records to reflect any changes in the PDP’s national leadership until all court cases challenging the convention had been fully resolved.

“In the light of the above pending suits, your request is prejudiced and cannot be acceded to until the determination of the pending appeals,” INEC stated.

“In the circumstances, and in obedience to the rule of law and subsisting court orders, the commission is unable to accede to the demand to recognise or update the list of national officers said to have emerged from the PDP national convention of November 15–16, 2025.”

Reacting, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the judgments cited by INEC had been appealed and that applications for stay of execution had been filed, noting that the Court of Appeal would soon pronounce on the matters.

FG files 16-count charges against Malami, son

The Federal Government has filed 16 alleged money laundering charges, to the tune of N1.014bn, against a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Also listed as a co-defendant in the case is Hajia Bashir Asabe.

According to the charge, the government is accusing Malami, his son, and others of being involved in the laundering and concealment of N1,014,848,500.00 (One Billion, Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty-Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) allegedly traced to a commercial bank.

In the 16 charges, the Nigerian government alleged that between July 2022 and June 2025, within Abuja and the jurisdiction of the court, the defendants procured Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the money.

The charge alleges, in part, that the defendants used the company as a front to conceal the origin and movement of the funds, an act the government says constitutes money laundering under Nigerian law.

The alleged offence is said to be contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act.

The 16 charges reveal how Malami allegedly engaged Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to launder funds.

“That you Abubakar Malami SAN, and Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami between July 2022 and June, 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did procure Metropolitan Auto Tech Limited to conceal the unlawful origin of the total sum of N1, 014, 848, 500.00 (One Billion, Fourteen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Five Hundred Naira) in the Sterling Bank Plc Account No. 0079182387 when you reasonably ought to have known that the said sum formed proceeds of unlawful activities and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(c) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3) of the same Act”, among others.

Davido joins Accord Party

Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has announced his decision to formally join the Accord Party, aligning politically with his uncle, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.

The singer made the announcement on Tuesday via his verified X handle, saying he would be in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Wednesday to collect his party membership card.

“I will be live in Osun to pick up my @AccordPartyNG membership card @ IMOLE HOUSE OSOGBO Tomorrow… see you soon ACCORDINGLY Cc @AAdeleke_01,” the singer wrote.

His move comes barely two weeks after Governor Adeleke adopted the Accord Party as his new political platform ahead of the 2026 Osun governorship election.

The governor formally announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Accord Party on December 9, 2025, at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Osogbo, in the presence of national and state party leaders.

Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5 million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25 million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, click here to find out how it works.

Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.