Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, has stated that no discussions have taken place within the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress, ADC platform regarding who will emerge as the presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

Obi asserted that the decision ultimately rests with the Nigerian people.

The former governor of Anambra State made the remark on Sunday while speaking on Channels TV’s Sunday Politics.

He said: “Again, this is not in play. Nobody has ever discussed that (being running mate to Atiku). People assume so many things. Nobody has ever discussed with me whether I’m going to be A or B or C, that he is going to contest for the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I don’t believe in assumptions.

“I’m part of a coalition which will be able to produce a competent president with capacity.

“There’s no option here. So we’re not talking about options. It has to be on the ballot. Well, the rest is for Nigerians to decide.”

OSUNDAILY NG reported that the opposition coalition on Wednesday formally adopted ADC as its official political platform for the 2027 elections, with the aim of unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

The coalition is being led by prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai; former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi; and Mr Peter Obi, among others.

Also reported by OSUNDAILY NG was the appointment of former Senate President, David Mark, as the interim National Chairman of ADC, and former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary.

Passers-by and residents in Auchi, the administrative headquarters of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, have reportedly rescued a Nigerian soldier from being swept away by floodwaters.

According to OSUNDAILY NG, the unidentified military personnel fell into a drainage channel near the Igbira camp during a heavy downpour over the weekend.

The soldier, said to be attached to the Nigerian Army School of Engineering, located near Auchi, reportedly lost his footing while attempting to leap across the flooded drainage and fell in.

He narrowly escaped death, thanks to the swift intervention of passers-by and local residents.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the soldier was swept away by the surging floodwaters.

“Passers-by and other residents in the area quickly ran after him on the road. They placed a barricade and laid wait at the other end of the drainage and rescued the embattled soldier alive,” the source recounted.

Efforts to reach the spokesperson for the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

However, a source close to the Brigade confirmed that the soldier is not under the 4 Brigade’s command but is attached to a training institution in Auchi. The source also confirmed that the soldier was rescued alive.

The traditional ruler of Umudiawa autonomous community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State, Eze Nnamdi Ofoegbu, has described his recent suspension as monarch as a grave injustice that will not stand.

He also linked his suspension to an award presented to President Bola Tinubu and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, by the Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers Forum, which he leads.

Eze Ofoegbu was recently suspended by the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers on allegations of running a parallel traditional rulers’ forum and for alleged acts of insubordination.

However, addressing journalists at his palace on Sunday, Eze Ofoegbu insisted that due process was not followed in the suspension, maintaining that he neither challenged the government nor violated any rule of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers.

He further alleged that the chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, Eze Linus Nto Mbah, had ordered him to withdraw the awards given to President Tinubu and Deputy Speaker Kalu, and that his refusal to comply with this directive contributed to his suspension.

According to him, the awards were given in recognition of appointments and projects delivered to Igboland under the current administration.

Eze Ofoegbu also claimed that some traditional rulers in Abia were coerced into signing the suspension letter. He clarified that the Ndigbo Progressive Traditional Rulers Forum is not in conflict with either the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers or the South East Council of Traditional Rulers.

He added that his forum has consistently defended Igbo interests, halted the demolition of properties belonging to Igbos in Lagos, promoted Igbo culture, and worked to protect Igboland from external threats.

“From that day we honoured the President, I started receiving phone calls from different people. The chairman warned me not to give the President an award, saying that I will be suspended,” he said.

Eze Ofoegbu also alleged that traditional rulers in Abia State do not enjoy unimpeded access to Governor Alex Otti.