Abia State Governor Alex Otti has declared support for the Labour Party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections, while stating that President Bola Tinubu currently has his support.

Speaking in an interview with Arise TV aired on Friday, Otti said he would back his party’s nominee.

“I have a presidential candidate and it is expected that I support my candidate,” the governor stated.

Otti noted that Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has the constitutional right to seek re-election and that no one can stop him.

“He (Tinubu) has the right to run and nobody can stop him. But I’m in the Labour Party and for now, he has my support,” Otti said.

The Labour Party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election is Dr. Sunday Chibuzo Okereke.

The Lagos State Police Command has identified and arrested its officer who appeared in a viral video making inappropriate remarks about NDC presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and Igbos while travelling on public transport.

The officer has been identified as Insp. Osumah Frank.

Frank was filmed saying that Peter Obi or any Igbo person can never become President of Nigeria.

In a statement released today, September 25, the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola, said the command has commenced appropriate disciplinary action against the officer in line with the established regulations of the Nigeria Police Force.

Abimbola stated that the remarks made by the officer were made in his personal capacity and do not represent the position, views or official disposition of the Lagos State Police Command or the Nigeria Police Force.

She added that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, has reiterated that all personnel are expected to maintain professionalism, civility, discipline and respect for members of the public at all times.

He further reaffirmed that wearing the Police uniform comes with the responsibility to uphold the dignity and integrity of the Force, adding that the command will not condone any conduct capable of bringing the Force into disrepute or undermining public confidence in the Police.

The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the party have sued the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, over the alleged imposition of a N200 million campaign fee on presidential candidates seeking to display campaign materials in the state.

The suit, shared with our correspondent on Sunday, was marked HU/214/2026 and filed before the Abia State High Court, Umuahia Judicial Division, on September 17, by the plaintiffs’ lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, alongside Ire Egert-Olusesi, Ridwan Azeez, Oluwabusola Oluwaniyi and Joseph Lukman of Musibau Adetunbi, SAN & Co., Ibadan.

They joined the Abia State Attorney-General, the Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency and the State House of Assembly as defendants, and asked that all four be served within 30 days.

Makinde and the APM argued that the fee imposed by the signage agency was unconstitutional and violated provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and other relevant laws.

They are seeking, among other reliefs, an order setting aside regulations made by ABSAA concerning political campaigns, including the N200m fee imposed on presidential candidates or any other amount.

They also asked the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from enforcing the fee and from “removing, defacing, destroying or obstructing” the placement of their campaign billboards and outdoor advertisements within Abia State.

The plaintiffs asked the court to declare the fee inconsistent with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and other federal legislation, and therefore null and void ab initio.

Makinde and the APM argued that INEC was exclusively empowered to make rules and regulations concerning political campaigns, relying on Item F, Section 15(a) and (f) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution and Section 99(1) of the Electoral Act 2026.

They contended that fixing the N200m fee amounted to using the state signage agency to shut out non-incumbent candidates from public visibility, and to the specific advantage of a ruling party better able to absorb such costs.

They maintained that while outdoor signage regulation falls within states’ residual powers, that power could not be exercised to frustrate or override federal electoral legislation, citing Sections 1(3) and 4(5) of the Constitution on the primacy of validly enacted federal law.

The supporting affidavit was deposed to by one Aisha Abdullahi Abubakar, described as APM’s National Welfare Officer.

She stated that the claimants became aware of the fee while preparing for a nationwide campaign tour that covers all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The plaintiffs said that unless the court intervened, they would suffer irreparable harm to their constitutional right to seek public office, and the principle of a level playing field for all contestants would be undermined.