The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has announced Senator Ireti Heebah Kingibe as the party’s flag bearer for the Federal Capital Territory senatorial election ahead of the 2027 general polls.

Kingibe secured a landslide victory in the party’s primary election, polling 17,535 votes to defeat her sole challenger, Mubarak Tijjani, who garnered 806 votes.

Declaring the results at the ADC secretariat in Abuja, the chairman and returning officer for the senatorial and House of Representatives primaries, Abubakar Adamu, confirmed Kingibe as the winner of the exercise.

The primary election also produced candidates for the two House of Representatives seats in the FCT.

In the AMAC/Bwari Federal Constituency, Bala Iyah emerged victorious with 4,937 votes, defeating Yahaya Fatima Goya, who polled 2,015 votes, while Ma’aji Johnson Bello secured 1,546 votes. Ismaila Ishak Ozigi received 105 votes.

For the Abaji/Gwagwalada/Kwali/Kuje Federal Constituency, Alhassan Salihu clinched the party’s ticket with 9,016 votes, defeating Khalid A. Haruna, who polled 2,955 votes.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission monitored the conduct of the primaries.

Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State has expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will secure victory in the 2027 presidential election, stating that no opposition candidate, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, can prevent the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from retaining power.

Namadi made the remarks after casting his vote during the APC presidential primary election held at his polling unit in Kafin Hausa Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

The governor reiterated his commitment to delivering more than one million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next general election, saying the target was realistic given the widespread support the APC enjoys across Jigawa State.

He noted that the large turnout witnessed during the primary election demonstrated the confidence party members and residents have in both President Tinubu and the APC-led administration.

According to Namadi, the peaceful and transparent conduct of the exercise also reflected the President’s respect for democratic values and internal party democracy.

The governor further stated that the outcome of the APC primary election signalled what to expect in the 2027 polls, predicting an overwhelming victory for the ruling party nationwide.

Namadi described Jigawa as one of the APC’s strongest support bases, pointing out that the state ranks among those with the highest number of registered voters in the country.

Socialite and businessman Pascal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest, has claimed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu does not fully trust him because of his previous support for Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election.

The celebrity barman made the remarks during a livestream session with popular streamer Peller in a video that surfaced online on Wednesday.

Speaking partly in pidgin English, Cubana Chief Priest said the president still views him with suspicion because he openly backed Obi and the Labour Party in the last election.

“President Bola Tinubu no really trust me as an Igbo man that I am. He look me with one eye because he believes that this one that worked for Peter Obi before at the last election,” he said.

The businessman, who currently serves as the Imo State Coordinator of the Pro-Tinubu City Boys Movement, explained that he later switched allegiance because he did not want to remain on the losing side politically.

Asked why he abandoned Obi’s camp, he replied, “Because I don’t want to lose again because they say first fool no be fool, na the second fool be proper fool.”

Cubana Chief Priest was among prominent entertainers who openly campaigned for Obi and the Labour Party before the 2023 elections. He has since aligned himself with the ruling All Progressives Congress and President Tinubu.