Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has approved the constitution of the Labour Party 2027 Governorship Campaign Council ahead of the 2027 general election.

The campaign structure covers the three senatorial zones and the various state constituencies across Abia State.

The constitution of the council was announced in a statement on Friday by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ferdinand Ekeoma.

According to Ekeoma, Otti will serve as chairman of the campaign council, while his deputy, Ikechukwu Emetu, will be the vice-chairman.

“His Excellency, the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex C. Otti, OFR, has approved the constitution of the Abia State Labour Party Governorship Campaign Council for the 2027 election,” the statement said.

Agwu U. Agwu was appointed Director-General of the council, while Dr Eric Egwuibe will serve as Director of Finance.

Dr Chibuzor Obiesili was named Director of Strategy and Planning, with Kelechi Nwaiwu, SAN, appointed Director of Legal.

Other principal appointments include Onyebuchi Ememanka as Director of Publicity and Dr Christian Anokwuru as Director of Special Duties.

AIG Arungwa Nwazue (retd.) will head the Security Directorate.

The campaign council also created three zonal coordination positions covering Abia Central, Abia North and Abia South.

Professor Udochukwu Ogbonna will coordinate Abia Central, Chief Emeka Charles Kalu will oversee Abia North, while Chimaobi Ebisike will coordinate Abia South.

At the constituency level, the council appointed coordinators to oversee campaign activities across the state’s constituencies.

In Ikwuano, Mr Innocent Eleogu was appointed coordinator, while Dr Obioma Orji will coordinate Isiala Ngwa North and Hon.

Dannie Ubani will oversee Isiala Ngwa South.

Mr Emmanuel Maduforo Ufomba was appointed for Osisioma North, while Mr Innocent Enyinnaya Anyanwu will coordinate Osisioma South.

For Umuahia, Col. Emeka Chilaka (retd.) will coordinate Umuahia Central, Chief Okey Onyemuwa will oversee Umuahia East, Dr Aham Uko will coordinate Umuahia North and Jerry Uzosike will handle Umuahia South.

In Bende, Mr Ikerionwu Okarimie will coordinate Bende South, while Mr Silas Eke will oversee Bende North.

Mr Emmanuel Okoronkwo was appointed coordinator for Isuikwuato, while Mandela Obasi and Mr Kalu Ukwu Uduma will coordinate Ohafia North and Ohafia South respectively.

Mr Kingsley C. Uchechukwu will coordinate Umunneochi.

In the Aba axis, Chief Shaka Dimgba Obasi was appointed for Aba Central, Mr George Ezeikpe Okeiyi for Aba North and Mr Chidi Onyendi for Aba South.

Other constituency coordinators are Mr Ndubisi Obioha Christopher for Obingwa East, Mr Jap Nnamdi Onwunali for Obingwa West, Dr Temple Nwosu for Ugwunagbo, Paul Taribo for Ukwa East, Ralph Egbu for Ukwa West and Chief Okezie Azuma for Arochukwu.

The statement said the campaign council was designed to connect the state leadership with the three senatorial zones and individual state constituencies to ensure coordination of the party’s campaign activities ahead of the 2027 election.

The inauguration of the campaign council is scheduled for Monday, October 5, 2026, at 12 noon at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia.

Members of the council were directed to be seated before the governor’s arrival for the inauguration.

Israel’s Supreme Court has overturned the disqualification of two Arab parties from the ballot for the October 27 general election, in a ruling that could have implications for the balance of power in the country’s next parliament.

The court ruled unanimously on Friday that the United Arab List, known as Raam, and another Arab party should be allowed to contest the election after an electoral committee of lawmakers had voted in September to disqualify several candidates and parties.

The justices also reinstated the candidacy of Ofer Cassif, a far-left Jewish member of parliament and outspoken critic of Israel’s policies towards Palestinians. The decision was reached by a 7-2 vote.

The two dissenting justices argued that Cassif had supported what they described as an “armed struggle against the state of Israel”, which they considered grounds for disqualification.

The Supreme Court has historically overturned most decisions by the electoral committee to bar candidates from elections.

The latest ruling came a day after Sami Abu Shehadeh, leader of the left-wing Palestinian Balad Party, withdrew his candidacy following indications from Supreme Court justices that they were inclined to uphold his disqualification.

Balad said in a statement that a court-ordered removal of Abu Shehadeh would have had “grave consequences for the country’s political and parliamentary life”, prompting him to withdraw before the court could issue a final ruling on his case.

The disqualification case against Abu Shehadeh was linked to an article he wrote following Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. In the article, he described the attack as an “important historical event” but denied that his comments amounted to support for the assault.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, had campaigned for Abu Shehadeh’s exclusion from the election.

Following the withdrawal, Ben Gvir described the development as a “tremendous victory”, while expressing disappointment that the Supreme Court had not itself issued a ruling disqualifying the Balad leader.

The court’s decision to restore Raam’s eligibility is particularly significant because of the party’s role in Israeli coalition politics.

Raam made history after the 2021 election by becoming the first independent Arab party to join an Israeli governing coalition.

It participated in a broad coalition that temporarily ended Netanyahu’s long period in power before the government eventually collapsed.

Arab citizens of Israel, many of whom are descendants of Palestinians who remained within Israel after the establishment of the state in 1948, account for roughly one-fifth of the country’s population. Most identify as Palestinian.

For decades, Arab parties largely remained outside governing coalitions.

Raam broke with that tradition in 2021 under its leader, Mansour Abbas, a moderate Islamist and former dentist.

The party is also fielding a Jewish Zionist candidate, Yoav Segalovitz, who has gained support in some Arab communities because of his work addressing organised crime.

Political analysts cited in the report said Segalovitz’s inclusion could make it easier for opponents of Netanyahu to consider cooperation with Raam after the election.

The latest court ruling therefore preserves the possibility of Arab parties playing a role in coalition negotiations following the October 27 vote, although the eventual political balance will depend on the election results and subsequent coalition talks.

Adalah, an advocacy organisation representing the rights of Israel’s Arab citizens, criticised the disqualification campaign, describing it as an attempt to “delegitimise Palestinian citizens and their parliamentary representatives” and use racism against Palestinians as electoral propaganda.

The Supreme Court ruling means Raam and the other reinstated Arab party will remain eligible to contest the election, while Abu Shehadeh’s withdrawal leaves his candidacy out of the race.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr Gabriel Pidomson, has declared that the people of the state will reject any attempt to impose a governor on them in the 2027 election.

Pidomson made the declaration on Thursday in Port Harcourt while speaking with journalists on his campaign preparations and his expectations for the forthcoming governorship election.

The ADC candidate criticised the political arrangement known as the “Rainbow Coalition”, which is associated with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.

Pidomson argued that the coalition would not prevent Rivers voters from choosing their preferred candidate, insisting that the 2027 election would be a referendum on who the people want to govern the state.

He said the contest would go beyond individual candidates and political blocs, declaring that it would ultimately be between Rivers people and those seeking to determine the outcome of the election.

“The 2027 election is not just between Pidomson and the others. It is going to be Rivers people versus others,” he said.

Taking aim at the political camp associated with Wike, Pidomson said Rivers State belonged to all its citizens and could not be treated as the property of any individual or political organisation.

“Rivers State is nobody’s private estate. It is our common patrimony,” he declared.

‘We shall eclipse their rainbow’
Pidomson also dismissed claims that the Rainbow Coalition had gained significant influence ahead of the election, saying the ADC would defeat the political arrangement at the polls.

“On the so-called Rainbow Coalition, well, they have the right to boast everywhere. I can assure you that the real people are not with them. And we shall eclipse their rainbow next year,” he said.

The ADC candidate alleged that many Rivers residents were dissatisfied with what he described as the prolonged domination of the state’s politics by one political figure.

He challenged Wike’s political camp to identify projects the former governor had attracted to Rivers since becoming FCT minister.

“As a minister of the FCT, tell me one project that Nyesom Wike has brought to the state,” Pidomson asked.

He also alleged that appointments influenced by Wike had largely benefited his political associates.

Pidomson said his campaign had conducted consultations across Rivers State, engaging ethnic groups, community leaders and other stakeholders.

According to him, the consultations showed a desire among residents for what he described as a more responsive and responsible government.

He said his 10-point policy agenda was focused on the welfare and development of Rivers residents.

The ADC candidate also expressed confidence that his party would withstand any attempt to manipulate the election.

“They cannot rig us out,” he said.

ADC promises polling-unit monitoring
Pidomson said the ADC would deploy agents to polling units across the state to monitor voting and the collation of results.

“Our agents will be on red alert to monitor the units across the state,” he stated.

He urged voters to remain at their polling units after casting their ballots until the results were announced, arguing that such vigilance would help protect the integrity of the process.

“With that it will be impossible for them to rig us out,” he said.

Pidomson further urged Rivers voters not to be intimidated by political groups, insisting that the 2027 election should provide an opportunity for voters to freely choose their preferred candidate.

“The votes of the people will count. The vote will be protected. No amount of rigging will prevail in the state,” he said.

Calls for security agencies to protect political activities
The ADC governorship candidate also condemned what he described as restrictions on political activities and alleged attacks on perceived political opponents in some local government areas.

He called on the Inspector-General of Police, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, the Department of State Services and other security agencies to ensure that citizens and political parties were allowed to exercise their constitutional rights.

“It is therefore unlawful, unconstitutional and barbaric for anybody, no matter how politically placed, to stop anyone from participating or organising political activities in any part of the state,” he said.

Pidomson alleged that members of the ruling All Progressives Congress had disrupted some ADC activities and called on security agencies to investigate the incidents and prosecute anyone found responsible.

Pidomson dismisses opposition from some Ogoni leaders
On reports that some Ogoni leaders were opposed to his candidacy, Pidomson said he was confident that voters would make their own decisions rather than automatically follow the positions of political leaders.

“The so-called leaders you are talking about are just a handful of those who have benefitted from this current system. They cannot sway the position or choice of the people,” he said.

He claimed that the ADC had established structures across Rivers State and that his support base cut across ethnic divisions.
“The entire Rivers people are my structures,” he declared.

Pidomson also urged voters to collect any inducement offered during the campaign but vote according to their conscience.

“They will come to bribe you with money, collect it but vote for ADC,” he added.

The ADC candidate said he was prepared for the 2027 governorship contest, noting that he had been working towards becoming governor of Rivers State since 2014.

“I am intellectually, emotionally and physically prepared,” he declared.