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More than 1,000 delegates drawn from the 21 local government areas of Kebbi State participated in the state congress of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held in Birnin Kebbi, where Abubakar Kana was returned as state chairman for a second term.

The congress was attended by key APC stakeholders, led by Governor Nasir Idris. However, three senators who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC were absent.

Chairman of the state congress committee, Modibbo Bello, said the exercise was conducted peacefully and largely through a consensus arrangement under the supervision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, the consensus approach ensured a smooth and orderly process.

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In his remarks, Governor Idris said former governors of the state between 1999 and 2023 had played significant roles in promoting unity in Kebbi. He added that his administration was building on that foundation to achieve greater progress.

“I congratulate all those elected and commend the committee from Abuja for ensuring a peaceful and transparent congress. I urge party members to continue working together for the progress of our party. This congress stands out as one of the best in the country,” the governor said.

In a development that drew attention, the three senators who recently joined the APC were not present at the congress, and none of their supporters was seen at the venue.

The lawmakers are Adamu Aliero, representing Kebbi Central; Yahaya Abdullahi, representing Kebbi North; and Garba Maidoki, representing Kebbi South.

Loyalists and close associates of the senators, who spoke to Channels Television on condition of anonymity, alleged that since the commencement of the congresses, their members had not been included from the ward level through to the local government congresses.

The sources further claimed that in the case of Senator Aliero, a former governor of the state, none of his loyalists was given any position at the ward level, let alone at the local government level.

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State is considering his political options amid ongoing legal disputes affecting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the national level.

Lawal, who won the 2023 governorship election on the PDP platform in what was widely described as a major political upset after defeating then-incumbent governor Bello Matawalle of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has begun consultations with party stakeholders across the 14 local government areas of the state.

His spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, told Channels Television that the consultations were necessitated by persistent legal issues surrounding the PDP’s national leadership.

He clarified that the governor has not taken any final decision on whether to defect to another political party.

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Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Broadcast Media, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, confirmed that Lawal is still engaging stakeholders and has not formally declared any intention to leave the PDP.

According to Kaura, the governor has consistently maintained that he does not wish to abandon his party. However, he expressed concern over pending cases at the Court of Appeal relating to the PDP’s national convention in Ibadan and the leadership of Tanimu Turaki, as well as the revised timetable for the general election released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said if the Court of Appeal validates the PDP national convention in Ibadan and affirms the party’s leadership, it would resolve the uncertainty. But if no judgment is delivered within the next two to three weeks, the governor may consider alternative political platforms to ensure he has a viable ticket to contest.

Kaura added that Lawal has met with PDP stakeholders across the local government areas, briefed them on the situation, and asked them to consult further at their respective levels.

He stressed that the governor has not indicated any direct move to the APC, noting that other parties such as the ADC, Labour Party and SDP remain possible options should the need arise.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has invited nominees for appointment as commissioners and members of the Rivers State Executive Council to submit the required documents for screening.

This follows the dissolution of the State Executive Council by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

In a Government Special Announcement issued on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the Assembly directed the nominees to submit forty (40) copies of their curriculum vitae, photocopies of their academic and professional credentials, and evidence of tax compliance.

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According to the statement, all documents are to be submitted to the Office of the Clerk at the Rivers State House of Assembly Quarters in Port Harcourt.

The announcement was signed by the Clerk of the House, Emeka Amadi.

Submission of the required credentials is a mandatory procedural step ahead of the screening and confirmation of the nominees by the Assembly.

The nominees listed in the announcement are:

Professor Datonye Alasia

Mr. Tonye Bellgam

Professor Temple Nwofor

Dr. Peters Nwagor

Mrs. Charity Deemua

Tamuno Williams, Esq.

Mr. Lekue Kenneth

Otonye TKD Amachree, Esq.