These are the stories you should be monitoring today:

There are indications that the Governor of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal may not be contesting next year’s election as a list of 34 governorship candidates for the 2019 governorship elections in the state as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) excludes the Governor’s name.

According to Daily Trust, the list displayed at the INEC office showed that the immediate past commissioner for Local Goverment and Community Development in the state, Manir Dan’iya is listed as the Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, adding that sources at the commission said the candidates are up to 50, as more candidates and their credentials would be displayed this week.

“When contacted, the PDP chairman of the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Milgoma said “no cause for alarm” as there is still time for substitution,” the report stated.

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Imo, Senator Hope Uzodinma, was on Sunday reportedly arrested by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel For Recovery of Public Property, for the failure of his company to execute a contract of $12m for the dredging of Calabar channel.

As reported by Punch, Chairman of the panel, Okoi Obono-Obla, in a short message to the newspaper on Sunday, said the the contract was awarded by Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), adding that he had been evading arrest for about a year.

“This evening, at about 8.20pm, operatives of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel For Recovery of Public Property at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport arrested the APC governorship candidate in Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, after disembarking from an Air Peace P47324 flight from Lagos,” the statement read in part.

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National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole has dismissed reports that he met with the National Leader of his party, Bola Tinubu, in London over his invitation by the Department of State Services (DSS).

Oshiomhole while speaking with reporters in Benin City on Sunday, said there was no reason for him to go to London to see Tinubu when he could easily see him in Bourdillon (Lagos), also urged aggrieved aspirants in the APC to learn from President Buhari who contested for President three times without losing hope, stressing that it was impossible for all contestants to win at the primaries

“What are the issues between him and me that we are to resolve in London? The leader of the party, President Buhari, I have access to at the Villa all the time. I don’t need to go to London to see my leader through the Queen,” he added.

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The controversy in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti appears to have been settled after the party’s highest decision making organ at the state level, the State Caucus, reaffirmed the immediate past Governor, Ayodele Fayose as “Leader of the Party” in the state and declared the Chief Gboyega Oguntuase-led Exco as the only recognised state executive.

The caucus meeting had in attendance, the arrowhead of the controversial November 3, meeting, where Senate Minority Leader, Biodun Olujimi was pronounced as leader of the party, TKO Aluko, Governorship candidate of the party in the July 14 election, Prof. Kolapo Olusola; his running mate, Kazeem Deji Ogunsakin as well as other party stalwarts in and out of government.

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Following a recent allegation by President Muhammadu Buhari that the blame for the delay in passage of the country’s annual budget be put at the doorstep of the National Assembly, the Senate Minority Leader, Biodun Olujimi has berated the Executive arm, advising it to desist from playing politics with sensitive issues like the budgeting process.

According to her, the executive arm needs to interrogate the efficiency of those involved in budget preparation so that it can realise that one of the causes of delays in budget passage is how the budget estimates submitted to the legislature come without the necessary details and accompanying documents.

“What were usually laid before the parliament were mere window dressing documents for the purpose of the presentation ceremony and the photo opportunities,” she said.