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Wike-Backed PDP Elects Mohammed Chairman, Anyanwu Secretary in New NWC

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Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu have been elected substantive National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, of the Wike-backed Peoples Democratic Party, led by Nyesom Wike.

 

Mohammed and Anyanwu emerged through a consensus, along with 19 other members of the new national working committee of the PDP, at the party’s 2026 national convention held at the velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Sunday.

Other prominent party members who attended the convention were a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido; a former Senate president, Bukola Saraki; and a former Kaduna State governor, Ahmed Makarfi, among others.

Wike addressing delegates at the PDP national convention in Abuja on Sunday, March 29, 2026.

Wike, who was identified as the national leader of the party, said the healing in the PDP had begun.

He assured the members that the PDP would be on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.

“So many people have spoken here. Saraki has said, with Abba Moro, and they were asking, ‘Is the PDP going to contest the 2027 election at all?’

“I have told Senator Saraki that, by the grace of God, the PDP will be on the ballot in 2027. We have seen the real convention, the convention that is being monitored by the electoral umpire. That is the convention that is recognised,” he said amid cheers among the delegates.

He said the future of the party must be built on inclusiveness, with equal opportunity for party members.

He commended the delegates for demonstrating good character.

The former Rivers State governor also said that the party would recover its mandate from those who took it.

“I congratulate all of you who stood firm when the storm raged. You showed exemplary resilience when push came to shove. You refused to be downcast when those who pretended to be leaders of the party betrayed you disgracefully.

“You survived the taunts of the naysayers. Together, we are standing on the positive side of purpose and committed to the task of making Nigeria a truly prosperous country,” the minister added.

‘Unity Over Division’

Mohammed said the party would belong to all members under his leadership.

FPDP National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed

Earlier, he called on members to embrace inclusiveness as the party repositions itself for the 2027 general elections.

“Today, we choose a higher path. We choose inclusiveness over exclusion, unity over division, we choose renewal over decline,” Mohammed stated at the 2026 PDP National Convention, which was held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja, on Sunday.

“The PDP has not come here to mourn itself; the PDP has come here to renew itself. This convention is therefore not just about the election; this convention is about restoration, order, not just about position.

“Distinguished delegates, this is not an official day. Today is a moment of reflection, a moment of responsibility, and above all, a moment of renewal. We gather here after a difficult session, a session of disagreement, legal contestation, a session that tested the strength and soul of this party,” he added.

The Chairman of the convention planning committee and former governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, who pegged the number of delegates at 2035, said the party’s door of reconciliation would remain open after the convention.

In the build-up to the convention, the PDP has been embroiled in a crisis over the party’s leadership structure.

International News

Ghanaian Boy, 15, Shot Dead On Way To School In New York

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A 15-year-old Ghanaian boy, Javits Frimpong, has been shot dead while on his way to school in the Bronx, New York, with his father suspecting that the killing was connected to bullying at school.

 

Javits was reportedly shot in the stomach at about 9:30 a.m. on Thursday near Crotona Park. He was rushed to a hospital but later died from his injuries.

According to the New York Police Department, three teenage boys are being sought in connection with the killing. Investigators said the suspects fled the scene wearing black tracksuits and blue surgical masks.

Surveillance footage reportedly showed a person matching the description of one of the suspects fleeing the area after the shooting. The victim was said to have run for about a block after being shot before collapsing.

The teenager’s father, Thomas Frimpong, said he believed bullying was behind the incident, claiming that his son had been targeted by two schoolmates who were recently suspended.

Frimpong disclosed that the school principal informed him about the bullying just three days before his son was killed.

He also maintained that his son was not the aggressor in a recent confrontation at school.

“The principal told me Javits is innocent. Javits is innocent. He was defending himself,” the grieving father said.

Frimpong said he brought his son from Ghana to New York about a year ago in the hope of giving him a better life, while the boy’s mother remained in Ghana.

Describing his son, he said: “My son was precious, very clever.”

The father, who works as a taxi driver, said his last conversation with Javits on Thursday morning was a reminder to get to school on time.

The killing has sparked outrage among residents of the Crotona Park neighbourhood, with some calling for increased after-school activities and youth programmes to keep teenagers away from violence.

Police have yet to publicly identify any suspects or announce arrests as investigations into the teenager’s killing continue

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INEC Rejects 64 Petitions, Removes Candidates From 2027 Election list

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The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has rejected 64 petitions filed by political parties over the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates’ lists, following a review that also led to the removal of some candidates.

The commission disclosed this in a statement signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, on October 30, 2026.

INEC said 12 political parties filed 69 petitions across 26 states over governorship candidates.

It approved 41 of the complaints but dismissed 28.

For the State Houses of Assembly elections, 61 petitions were submitted by 11 political parties across 11 states.

The commission upheld 25 and rejected 36.

The complaints involved political parties allegedly omitted from the lists, candidates whose names were included despite not appearing in their parties’ membership registers, and cases of multiple nominations.

Following its review, INEC approved the inclusion of candidates and parties whose complaints were justified.

It also removed names that were wrongly published and candidates whose nominations did not meet legal requirements.

The commission said the revised lists would be published on its website, with details of the affected candidates, political parties and states.

“The Commission assures the public of its commitment to transparency and the credibility of the electoral process,” the statement added.

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Plateau: Gunmen Kill 4 In Renewed Attack

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Four people have reportedly been killed after gunmen attacked Sabon Angwa community, around Bet/Zat in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Thursday night, raising fresh concerns over the safety of residents despite an existing curfew.

 

The attackers reportedly stormed the community at about 8pm and opened fire on residents, triggering panic in the area.

Report quoted a Barkin Ladi resident, Bulus Jok, as confirming the gunmen operated despite the curfew imposed in parts of the state to curb attacks and restore security.

“The gunmen struck the community around 8pm despite the curfew in place and started shooting sporadically,” he said.

Jok added that the attackers shot at anything in sight, leaving four people dead and residents terrified.

He described the incident as particularly disturbing because an early warning alert had reportedly been sent to the relevant authorities a day before the attack.

The Publicity Secretary of the Berom Youth Moulders-Association (BYM), Rwang Tengwong, also confirmed the incident, saying suspected terrorist gangs attacked the community and shot four people dead.

Tengwong condemned the killings, describing the loss of innocent lives as unacceptable. He questioned the continued attacks on communities despite security measures introduced to protect residents.

“It is disturbing that communities are still being attacked despite the security measures and curfew put in place to protect residents,” he said.

The BYM spokesman urged security agencies to strengthen surveillance in vulnerable communities, improve their response to early warning alerts and take proactive steps to prevent further attacks.

He also called for a stronger security presence in the affected areas to protect residents from further violence.

Efforts to reach security operatives for comments and further details were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.

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