Politics

10th NASS Speakership: Don’t Expect Us To Be Loyal If Your Preferred Choice Stands – G7 Tells APC

Published

2 years ago

May 10, 2023

Editor

Following the zoning arrangement for National Assembly leadership positions released on Monday by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, seven aspirants for the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives have come together under the G7 platform to reject the declaration.

The members of the G7 group are Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon Ahmed Idris Wase; Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, Hon. Sada Soli. Hon. Aminu Sani Jaji. Hon. Mariam Onuoha and House of Representatives Majority Leader, Hon. Al Hassan Doguwa.

The G7 lawmakers, during a meeting with the APC NWC members in Abuja on Wednesday, described the zoning arrangement as unfair, unjust and inequitable and threatened to oppose any attempts by outside forces to impose a leadership on the 10th House of Representatives.

Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, while addressing the APC Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, said, “I supported every member of APC and some of our leaders contesting for elections when we were going in for the election. I was shocked when I heard that I did anti-party. My unit is in Biu my result is in INEC. You can request my result for my unit if anti-party it going to show.

“Another thing I need to clear here, sir, i was told that the same group are saying I gave monies to a presidential aspirant. So if there is any transfer to anybody, the banks are there. I want to still tell you as leaders if I should give money to a presidential aspirant and he wins, what is he going to give me? On my own, I want to become speaker in my party. If another party wins, can I become speaker? No. So we don’t need to blackmail ourselves. Politics is about give and take.

“Our colleagues here can testify, I have done well for the National Assembly when I was Chairman of the Army, Chairman of Defence and now Appropriations. Sir, I have 38 members, including my deputy chairman of the Appropriations Committee and me, but for me to stabilise the House, I co-opted 100 members to my committee just for me to stabilise the House for Femi. But today, we are aspiring for the speakership, the deputy speaker, the House leader, myself, Gagdi, Miriam, Sada, etc.

“We are not against our leaders, but if we should sit down and say sit amongst yourselves and pick somebody you think you can work with, it is easy, but the person the speaker is trying to even pick there are some of our colleagues that don’t know him. That’s the truth, I am not lying. If today the party said we zoned to the north west, I have to sit and think because now the party is zoning the deputy senate president and the speaker to the same zone. We have been in this Assembly. There is no time that two presiding officers are zoned to one area. It has never happened.”

Also, Speaking Hon. Gagdi emphasised that the proposed arrangement by the NWC was wrong, stating that ”the party should not hope that our loyalty will be guaranteed at the detriment of justice, peace and fairness. We will respect justice, unity and equity in the chamber, but only if your instruction is in line with the principle of this party. Do not hope that we have come here to succumb to any instruction and directive given to us.’’

‘’Do we want unity, to say that the Deputy Senate President should go to North West and the Speaker should go to North West when in the true sense of the word, sir, in the presidential election, North-Central known to have majority number of Christians, with utmost apologies let me say this, and the religious and tribal affiliations attributed to 2023 elections, yet North Central resisted the temptation, delivered four states to the President-elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu; delivered 11 senators.

“The North-west delivered 10 with two states and North-east 1 State with ten senators, and the zone that has performed like this for Mr President will be relegated to have party chairman and perhaps, as they insinuate, Secretary to the Government of the Federation; positions that the president or whosoever can scream at them and they have no locus to speak for the people of North-central. We need fairness. We need justice.”

Politics

We May Not Have A Country If APC Retains Power In 2027 – El-Rufa’i Warns

Published

13 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has issued a warning about Nigeria’s future, declaring that the country’s survival is at risk if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on Saturday, August 2, in Sokoto at a grassroots mobilisation rally for the opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), El-Rufai made clear his intention to campaign vigorously against the ruling party.

“I’m not in politics to get anything for myself. I’m in politics to serve,” he stated.

“When the government does not serve the people, it is my duty as a senior citizen to come out and condemn it and take steps to reverse the situation.

“That is why we come together as people opposed to the policies of this government to form the coalition, which has resulted in the adoption of ADC,” he explained.

El-Rufai, a former key member of the APC, said he is committed to rallying Nigerians across the country to unseat the party, describing it as “incompetent.”

“We are in Sokoto to begin the process of mobilising Nigerians against the APC government anywhere and the federal government in Abuja,” he said.

“I believe that if we allow this party and the government to continue for a second term in office, what remains of Nigeria’s social capital will be destroyed, and we may not have a country at all. This is a fight for our lives.”

El-Rufai was once a founding figure of the APC but left the party in March 2025 to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following the Senate’s refusal to confirm his ministerial nomination, reportedly due to security concerns.

However, his time in the SDP was short-lived. The party expelled him and imposed a 30-year ban, citing alleged forgery of membership documents, among other accusations.

Now a leading figure in the opposition ADC, El-Rufa’i joins other prominent politicians in working against the APC ahead of the 2023 polls.

Politics

Opposition Will Collapse In Edo Before 2027, Says Okpebholo

Published

14 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on Saturday, said there will be a total collapse of the opposition in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He stated this during the flag-off of the campaign for the August 16th Senatorial by-election in Edo Central Senatorial District in Uromi.

He urged the candidates of the opposition parties to decamp to the ruling All Progressive Congress and join him in developing the State.

The governor was accompanied by the chairman of APC, Jarrett Tenebe, to receive decampees at the event. He expressed happiness that members of all other political parties are joining APC to ensure that development continues.

The decampees from PDP include Alhaji Esiwele Musa, Abraham Osazuwa, Sunny Ejie, and Robert Okoneme, amongst other PDP leaders across the 51 wards.

He said, “This is a test for 2027. I can tell you that 2027 is sure. Before 2027, there will be no opposition in Edo State anymore as all will join the APC because of the developmental achievements in the state.

“Hon. Joseph Ikpea will take over from me in the Senate. In this election, we will win five local governments out of five. We must win the entire 51 wards in the five local governments that make up the Senatorial District.

“I understand that it is only the candidates in the other parties that have not decamped to our party, the APC. I advise them not to waste their money but to join our party. If they give you money, take it and vote for the APC. The money is our money.

“We promised to give the President 2.5 million votes, and we are ready to deliver on our promises. We will not talk much because the election is a done deal. This is the first test for us as we do not have any opposition in the State anymore,” he said.

In his remarks, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dennis Idahosa, urged Esan people to support Okpebholo as he has brought development to the state due to his relationship with President Bola Tinubu.

He noted that the election is the first step to appreciate the president.

He said, “The President sees our Governor as his son, and the State enjoys the dividends of democracy. This is the first step to appreciate the governor and the president. We would not accept anything less than 90 per cent victory in the election.”

The APC party Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, who presented the party’s flag to the party’s candidate in the Senatorial by-election, Hon. Joseph Ikpe,a encouraged him to ensure he continues from where the Governor stopped in the Senate.

He noted that the governor, as a Senator, brought development to the Senatorial District.

Presenting the party’s symbol, which is the broom, to decampees at the event, Jarrett Tenebe thanked the governor for duly informing the Chairman of Esan North East Local Government Area about the flag off of the day, saying that it was the right thing to do.

He urged the decampees to join and support the party, and the Governor to ensure the developmental strides continue in Edo State.

The Director General of the Edo Senatorial by-election and former Speaker Edo State House of Assembly, Victor Edoror, commended the people for coming out en masse. He urged them to make sure they keep the spirit of the door-to-door campaign for the candidate of party and the election to ensure victory.

The APC candidate in the Senatorial by-election, Joseph Ikpea, thanked the party for the trust and promised to continue with the developmental strides the Governor brought to the Senatorial District as a Senator.

The APC Edo Central Senatorial leader, Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe (rtd); APC Edo South leader, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; Deputy State Chairman of APC, Sylvester Aigboboh; and other leaders, urged the people to all come out en masse to vote for the APC candidate in the by-election.

Politics

Anambra guber: Soludo Raises Alarm, Alledges Plot By APC To Manipulate Election

Published

21 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the forthcoming November 8, 2025, governorship election in Anambra State.

He also warned candidates from Anambra South vying for the governorship seat against destabilizing the state’s political balance.

The governor made the allegation while speaking at a massive All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) rally held at Ekwulobia Urban Stadium on Saturday. He stated that Anambra is “too big for charlatans” and must not be distracted by what he described as impostors and unserious aspirants.

He vowed that “street urchins won’t govern a state that produced Zik, Nwafor Orizu, Ojukwu, Achebe,” as he rallied party faithful in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

Soludo dismissed as deceitful the promises made by some candidates to serve only one term, insisting that such individuals require “psychiatric evaluation.”

“Anambra doesn’t need street urchins as governor. This is the state that produced the likes of Zik of Africa, Dr. Nwafor Orizu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and Prof. Chinua Achebe, among others. It is too big for charlatans,” he declared.

He further alleged that some candidates were merely using their campaigns to extort money from unsuspecting businessmen and the public. According to him, the achievements of his administration over the past four years justify his bid for a second term.

In a renewed call for peace, Soludo again offered amnesty to armed groups hiding in the forests, urging them to surrender and embrace rehabilitation or face the full weight of the law.

Visibly impressed by the turnout at the rally, the governor noted that he had not yet officially launched his campaign but was humbled by the support.

He revealed that the rally was entirely organized and funded by party members determined to see him re-elected.

The rally, which took place on August 2, 2025, endorsed Soludo for a second term in office and adopted Chief Emma Nwachukwu as APGA’s candidate for the Anambra South senatorial by-election scheduled for August 16, 2025.

It drew an impressive crowd of party loyalists, traditional rulers, community leaders, and political stakeholders.

Also in attendance were the APGA National Chairman, state and local government executives, and former Deputy Governor, Dame Virgy Etiaba.

In a show of solidarity, APGA stakeholders in Anambra South presented a N100 million donation to support the governor’s campaign. Traditional rulers in the senatorial district also honoured Soludo with the “Olu Atuegwu” chieftaincy title — a title that has already been conferred on him in Anambra North and Central, respectively.