Rainbow coalition rocks Benue APC as leaders seek sanctions against ex-chair

. Oluremi Tinubu to lead 20,000-woman APC summit in Abuja

. As Jonathan backs party’s candidates in Bayelsa

.APC blasts Amaechi for ascribing mother’s death to Tinubu’s reforms

.City Boy Movement targets 1m votes in Osun

The crisis within the Benue State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has intensified ahead of the 2027 general elections, with prominent party chieftains demanding the suspension of former State Chairman, Austin Agada, over alleged anti-party activities and his reported involvement in the opposition-backed “Rainbow Coalition.”

The development is coming at a time when the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is finalizing arrangements to lead a massive delegation of Nigerian women in a solidarity march to support the reelection of her husband, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Meanwhile, former President Goodluck Ebere Jonathan, who is considered a top shot of a faction of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has endorsed candidates of the APC in home Bayelsa State.

As the crisis brews in Benue State, APC chieftains, operating under the registered name APC Solidarity Group, submitted a formal petition to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) through the office of the National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, seeking disciplinary action against Agada.

Dated October 2, 2026, and signed by the group’s National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Sa’idu Muhammad, the petition is titled, “Petition against anti-party activities, public opposition to the APC governorship, Senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates in Benue South Senatorial District, Zone C.”

The group asked the NWC to constitute an investigative committee to examine the allegations, invite Agada to defend himself and, if found culpable, establish a disciplinary committee to determine appropriate sanctions.

It also requested that any sanctions imposed be made public to serve as a deterrent to other members.

According to the petitioners, Agada, who leads a prominent faction of the APC loyal to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, has allegedly been attending meetings and participating in cross-party endorsements of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Abba Moro for the 2027 Benue South Senatorial District election.

The group alleged that Agada printed and displayed banners carrying the images of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate, alongside Senator Moro, the PDP candidate, describing the action as highly publicised and prejudicial to the interests of the APC.

The petition also cited an interview Agada reportedly granted TVC’s Politics Tonight on September 28, 2026, during which he allegedly declared that he had no reason to campaign for the APC governorship candidate in Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, and would not campaign for his re-election in 2027.

The petitioners argued that the alleged position contradicts a resolution of APC governors communicated through the Progressive Governors’ Forum and endorsed by the party’s 36 state chapters and the Federal Capital Territory.

They said the development raised questions about party loyalty and compliance with the APC constitution.

Agada was further accused of participating in the Strategic Alliance for Tinubu 2027, also known as the Rainbow Coalition in Benue, which the petitioners alleged was working in alliance with the PDP, Social Democratic Party (SDP), Labour Party and New Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to undermine the APC’s officially recognised structure and candidates in the state.

The group acknowledged that supporting President Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027 was consistent with the national interest but maintained that such support should not become a basis for campaigning against other APC candidates in constituencies where the party had validly nominated candidates.

It urged the NWC to examine Agada’s conduct under Article 21 of the APC constitution and determine whether the allegations amounted to anti-party activities.

The petitioners said Agada, as a former state chairman, was expected to understand the principles of party supremacy, discipline and loyalty, adding that the allegations required urgent attention from the national leadership.

They warned that the APC in Benue could not afford a situation in which senior members openly campaigned for candidates of other parties, stressing that the petition was motivated by their commitment to party unity, supremacy and collective interest ahead of the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, the APC is stepping up its nationwide mobilisation for the 2027 presidential election, with the party’s women mobilisation structure preparing to convene more than 20,000 women in Abuja.

First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is expected to lead the Women Stakeholders’ Mobilisation and Empowerment Pre-Inaugural Campaign Roll-Out organised by the Women Mobilisation Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

The event is scheduled for 8am on Monday at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, under the theme, “Renewed Hope Agenda 2.0: From Reforms to Prosperity,” with the mobilisation message, “One Voice, One Movement, One Choice, One Mandate 2027.”

The organisers said the gathering would bring together women leaders, professionals, entrepreneurs, political stakeholders, community representatives and grassroots organisers to discuss political participation, mobilisation and programmes of the Tinubu administration that the APC intends to present as part of its record ahead of the election.

The women mobilisation directorate has set a target of 40 million votes from women for President Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima in the 2027 election.

Its Director, Dr Betta Edu, disclosed the target ahead of the summit, saying the directorate was also expanding its grassroots mobilisation structures across the country.

A member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council Women Mobilisation Planning Committee, Princess Gloria Akobundu, said the Federal Government’s programmes had made interventions in education, infrastructure, social protection, consumer credit and youth empowerment.

She cited the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP), infrastructure projects, cash-transfer programmes and digital-skills initiatives as programmes she said should be consolidated through a second term for the administration.

“NELFUND has provided an opportunity for Nigerian students who ordinarily may not have been able to afford tertiary education to access interest-free loans,” Akobundu said.

Latest NELFUND figures show that the scheme had processed 1,659,853 applications as of September 2026, while total disbursements reached N372.62 billion as of October 3. Of the amount, N192.89 billion had been paid to beneficiary institutions as institutional fees, while N179.73 billion had been disbursed to students as upkeep allowances.

The student loan programme, established under the Student Loans Act, provides interest-free financial support to eligible students to reduce financial barriers to tertiary education. NELFUND’s latest dashboard also lists 1,410,825 registered students and 1,697,185 loan applications.

On consumer credit, Akobundu cited CREDICORP, a Federal Government development finance institution established to expand access to consumer financing.

She also listed major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway and Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road.

President Tinubu said in May that more than 2,700 kilometres of highways and major roads were under construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation, including the projects cited by Akobundu.

On social protection, she said the administration had expanded cash-transfer interventions and introduced programmes including NG-CARES, SOLID and HOPE to support vulnerable households, communities and human-capital development.

However, figures contained in the Federal Government’s latest programme documentation differ from a 75 million-household claim contained in the statement. At the July 2026 launch of the new programmes, the Presidency said expanded cash transfers had reached 15 million vulnerable households, while the newly launched NG-CARES Additional Financing, SOLID and HOPE programmes were designed to extend livelihood, humanitarian, healthcare, education and governance support.

The Federal Government has also announced plans for a $1 billion Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s social-protection architecture and expand support for vulnerable households.

The mobilisation comes as political parties and support groups intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential contest, with the APC women’s directorate saying its grassroots structures extend across communities nationwide.

Akobundu also urged women in Imo State and across the South-East to strengthen their mobilisation structures and take the Renewed Hope message to communities and localities in the region.

“We are calling on our women across the South-East to strengthen their mobilisation and ensure that the message of the Renewed Hope Agenda reaches every community and locality,” she said.

In Bayelsa State, meanwhile, former President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed confidence in APC candidates contesting the 2027 elections in Bayelsa East Senatorial District.

Jonathan spoke at his residence in Yenagoa when a delegation led by former Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd.), visited him to formally introduce the candidates.

The delegation included the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Samuel Ogbuku, and the Bayelsa State APC Chairman, Hon. Warman Weri Ogoriba.

Jonah appealed to Jonathan and other stakeholders to support the candidates, describing them as people with the capacity, experience and character required to provide effective representation.

The candidates presented included Hon. Israel Sunny-Goli for the Bayelsa East Senatorial District seat, Hon. Jonathan Robinson Obuebite, PhD, for the Brass/Nembe Federal Constituency and Barr. Jude Amidator Rex-Ogbuku for the Ogbia Federal Constituency.

Also presented were the APC candidates for various Bayelsa State House of Assembly seats, including Hon. Oteigbanyo George Braah for Nembe Constituency 1, Hon. Edward Brigidi Irigha for Nembe Constituency 2 and Hon. Alalibo West for Nembe Constituency 3.

Jonathan, after meeting the candidates, acknowledged their credentials, saying virtually all of them were people who could be trusted based on their capacity, performance and experience.

The former president subsequently gave them his blessings and urged them to remain committed to serving the people if elected.

He advised the candidates to regard politics as an opportunity to improve society rather than merely a contest for political positions, urging them to use public office to attract meaningful development to their constituencies and contribute to the wider development of Bayelsa State.

Jonathan also called on the candidates and other political stakeholders to preserve peace, unity and cooperation, stressing that peace and unity among the people remained important to the continued development of the state.

Similarly, the CityBoy Movement in Osun State has passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Tinubu, reaffirming its support for his administration and declaring its ambition to mobilise one million votes for him in the state.

The movement also unveiled a grassroots mobilisation drive to register 250,000 youths as members within the next 30 days.

The Osun State Director-General of the movement, Engr. Kayode Sowade, disclosed this on Sunday in Osogbo during the inauguration of the state, local government and area office executives of the organisation.

Sowade said the movement is committed to promoting Tinubu’s policies and programmes, particularly those focused on economic recovery, youth empowerment, education, and technological development.

He described the inauguration as the beginning of a new phase of grassroots mobilisation, insisting that members would take the administration’s achievements and opportunities to communities across the state.

He said, “Our target over the next thirty days is to register 250,000 Osun youths as members of the CityBoy Movement. It is an ambitious target, and we must approach it with seriousness. Every coordinator must understand the assignment ahead. Every local government structure must be active. We must be organised in how we reach people, document registrations, and report our progress.

“On behalf of the entire Osun State City Boy Movement, we pass a vote of absolute confidence in our father and leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We reaffirm our support for his administration and our commitment to taking the message of its policies and programmes to the people of Osun State.”

Earlier, the State coordinator of the City Boy, Ajani Gafar, disclosed that the movement will deliver no fewer than one million votes for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.

Meanwhile, the Patron of the movement in the state, Femi Oyetola, said, “Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done well for us in Osun State, and it is now our responsibility to reciprocate that support with our votes.

“This is not merely a political gathering; it is a call to responsibility. I therefore urge every member of the City Boy Movement to return to your communities and mobilise effectively.

“Let us take this message from the polling unit to the ward, from the ward to the local government, and from the local government to the entire state.”

However, the Director General of the movement, Oluwatosin Shoga, while stressing the need for door-to-door mobilization said, “Let us go all out. We are giving him a minimum of 10 million votes. We want you to go out and work; that is the essence of this movement. Every local government must be empowered.”

Meanwhiie, APC has launched a scathing attack on former Minister of Transportation and current vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as a loafer outside public office.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Barr. Felix Morka, the ruling party said it prays that the soul of Dame Ezinne Mary Oduah Amaechi continues to rest in perfect peace, while also praying for sound health for her son, Rotimi Amaechi.

The APC recalled Amaechi’s political pedigree as a two-term Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term Governor of Rivers State, two-term Minister of Transportation, former presidential aspirant and currently vice-presidential candidate of the ADC.

The party said it wishes that employers of labour in Amaechi’s hometown of Ubima in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State may find him suitable for a job that pays enough for him to feed and buy medications for himself and his family in retirement.

According to the statement, Amaechi’s recent confessions must not be missed, as he had earlier claimed that he had become so broke and hungry that his wife was now feeding him, and has now stated that his inability to afford medications led to his mother’s death at 89.

The APC argued that for four decades, Amaechi freeloaded at the highest levels of public office, during which he was never hungry and could afford medications for himself and his family, but just three years out of office, he has become destitute.

The party said if Amaechi is not struggling with some kind of Peter Pan syndrome, then he must be a loafer, aimless and irresponsible for his inability to be productive and earn a living outside the patronage of public office.

It further alleged that the same Amaechi now wants Nigerians to make him vice president in 2027 so he can continue leeching on public treasury and maintain the predatory lifestyle he has grown accustomed to having.

The APC declared that the presidency is not a soup kitchen and will not be turned into a soup kitchen for Rotimi Amaechi.

The ruling party concluded by stating that there can be no better witness and speaker of Rotimi Amaechi’s unfitness for the office of vice president than Rotimi Amaechi himself.