By Abigail David

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has scheduled Saturday, August 22, 2026, for its primary elections to select candidates for four restored State House of Assembly constituencies and legislative bye-elections across five states.

The party announced the timetable in a statement signed by its National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, and released on Wednesday.

The primaries will cover three restored constituencies in Delta State — Abraka, Isoko North II and Ughelli South II — and Yagba West II in Kogi State.

The exercise will also produce APC candidates for legislative bye-elections in Gombe, Bauchi, Delta and Kano states.

According to the timetable, the sale of expression-of-interest and nomination forms will run from August 18 to 20, while the submission deadline is August 20.

Screening of aspirants, publication of results and screening appeals will take place on August 21, ahead of the primaries on August 22. Election appeals are scheduled for August 24.

The APC fixed the expression-of-interest fee for State House of Assembly aspirants at N1 million and the nomination fee at N5 million, while House of Representatives aspirants will pay N1 million and N9 million respectively.

Female, youth and physically challenged aspirants are required to pay the expression-of-interest fee and 50 per cent of the prescribed nomination fee.

The timetable follows the Independent National Electoral Commission’s restoration of the four previously suppressed constituencies after court judgments.

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By Abigail David

Natasha Osawaru, wife of Nigerian singer Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, has been appointed Minority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly.

Osawaru, who represents Egor Constituency, was announced as the new minority leader during Monday’s plenary following a reshuffling of the Assembly’s principal leadership positions.

Her emergence followed her defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the National Democratic Congress in May 2026.

A statement from her Media and Strategic Communications Directorate said the reshuffle reflected new alignments among lawmakers and party caucuses in the Assembly.

Osawaru previously served as Deputy Majority Leader. She has focused on grassroots development, legislative debates, and youth and women empowerment during her time in the Assembly.

Reacting to her new position, Osawaru thanked the Assembly leadership, her colleagues and constituents.

She described the appointment as a responsibility rather than a title, pledging to promote accountability, effective representation and the development of Edo State.

Her emergence places her in a key opposition leadership role in the Edo State House of Assembly.

By Abigail David

A security expert in Katsina State, Ibrahim Katsina, has urged politicians and their supporters to embrace peaceful campaigns and focus on issues ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Katsina, a former Special Adviser on Security Matters to ex-Governor Aminu Masari, made the call in an interview with Channels Television in Katsina on Monday.

He urged political parties and candidates to promote their manifestos rather than resort to violence, intimidation, hate speech or other actions capable of creating tension.

“As the 2027 electioneering campaign draws closer, my advice to politicians is that they play according to the rules of the game in order not to overheat the polity,” he said.

Katsina also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies to sanction political actors who incite violence or engage in thuggery.

On security, he commended the improvement recorded in Katsina State, attributing it to collaboration between the government and security agencies.

He expressed optimism that ongoing operations would further reduce insecurity before the 2027 elections, while stressing that citizens also have a role to play in maintaining peace.

“Security is everybody’s business. When we unite against terror, we will succeed,” he said.

Katsina also cautioned Nigerians against glorifying criminal activities on social media, saying such narratives could encourage criminals and undermine public confidence in security efforts.