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2023: Dele Momodu Hits APC, Tinubu Hard

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The Director of Strategic Communications of the Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Momodu, has said the All Progressives Congress and its presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, cannot unite Nigerians.

Momodu in a statement obtained by The PUNCH, dated Wednesday, November 2, 2022, and titled, “Atiku: APC’s Shettima Suffering From Amnesia – PDP Campaign Organisation,” expressed worry over what he described as an “open disdain for the democratic and voting rights of certain ethnic groups within their domains.”

The PDP campaign director was reacting to the remarks credited to the APC presidential candidate and his running mate on Tuesday at an event in Lagos, where the duo said the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, could not unite Nigeria.

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Momodu said, “It is our belief that Alhaji Shettima, in a moment of deliberate amnesia, must have tried to point fingers at the specks in another man’s eyes while studiously ignoring the giant logs in his own eyes.”

Momodu described the APC as a disorganised party with chieftains openly apologising to Nigerians for the undiminished damage it forced on Nigeria since 2015 which resulted in a mass exodus of APC members to the Peoples Democratic Party.

READ ALSO: Obi-Datti Support Group Decry Alleged Blocking Of Account By FG

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He further stated, “It took almost forever for APC to achieve the simple task of constituting its Presidential Campaign Council, due to the total lack of unity in their party. It is very obvious that APC has become completely rudderless and many self-respecting members are jumping ship and being recovered by PDP.

“How can these APC candidates ever unite Nigerians when they’ve shown open disdain for the democratic and voting rights of certain ethnic groups within their domains?”

The statement further said that APC and its candidates have been shrouded in secrecy and they are just unable to tell Nigerians the truth about anything, stressing, “how can Nigerians be expected to place their faith in such mysterious characters?”

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Momodu added, “How can these APC candidates ever unite Nigerians when they’ve shown open disdain for the democratic and voting rights of certain ethnic groups within their domains?

“Everything about APC and its candidates has been shrouded in secrecy and they are just unable to tell Nigerians the truth about anything. How can Nigerians be expected to place their faith in such mysterious characters?”

On the allegation by Shettima that Abubakar could not be trusted with the economy of Nigeria. The director stated that “no heresy could be worse than this. Nigerians would want to know what businesses the APC candidates have managed personally and successfully alleging with the exception of living outlandishly on government booty and largesse.

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“Atiku Abubakar started business as a teenager and served meritoriously as a government officer in the customs where he assisted so many Igbo traders, according to available testimonies.

Momodu queried how APC could be expected to guarantee the safety of lives and properties when right under the watch of Shettima as Governor of Borno State the terrorist group, Boko Haram, became an intractable menace and Nigeria is yet to fully recover today.

He noted that the PDP is extremely proud of its antecedents and former vice president and his running mate are fully ready to recover Nigeria from the hands of the “most incompetent leaders in the history of Nigeria.”

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Continuing, Momodu maintained, “Alhaji Shettima alleged that Atiku Abubakar cannot be trusted with the economy of Nigeria. No heresy could be worse than this.

“Nigerians would want to know what businesses the APC candidates have managed personally and successfully except living outlandishly on government booty and largesse.

READ ALSO: Why I’m Opposing Tinubu – Dele Momodu

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“In Atiku’s private life, he remains one of the biggest employers of labour in Nigeria. He has brought jobs to Nigerians instead of shipping jobs out.”

“How can APC be expected to guarantee the safety of lives and properties when right under the watch of Alhaji Shettima as Governor of Borno State, Boko Haram became an intractable menace and Nigeria is yet to fully recover to this day?

“PDP is extremely proud of its antecedents and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Ifeanyichukwu Okowa are fully ready to recover Nigeria from the hands of the most incompetent leaders in the history of Nigeria,” he added.

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Probe Natasha’s Allegations Against Akpabio, Afenifere Urges FG

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The pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has urged the Federal Government to investigate sexual harassment allegations levelled by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The call followed the Senate’s decision to lift Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension.

This, Afenifere said should not overshadow the need to establish the truth of her claims.

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In a statement issued on Thursday, Afenifere’s National Organising Secretary, Kole Omololu, said the senator’s recall reflected commitment to the rule of law.

We commend the Senate President, His Excellency Senator Godswill Akpabio, and the Senate leadership for taking a decision that further reinforces the country’s rule of law,” Omololu said.

READ ALSO:Natasha Resumes At Senate, Calls Akpabio Dictator

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The group, however, insisted that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations must not be ignored.

For over six months, where are the facts and evidence of her grave allegations?” Afenifere asked.

It called on the “Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS) and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) to carry out a full investigation into the matter.”

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Afenifere also recalled Akpoti-Uduaghan’s past false sexual harassment claims against former presidential aide Reno Omokri, which ended in an out-of-court settlement.

Does this not suggest that, without proof, her allegations against Akpabio are suspicious?” Omololu asked.

READ ALSO:UK Regulator Reports Air Peace Over Alleged Safety Violation

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The group further criticised Akpoti-Uduaghan for taking her claims to international media, including BBC, CNN, Sky News and Deutsche Welle, saying the move portrayed Nigeria negatively abroad.

It also queried her participation in a session of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in New York.

“If Natasha truly participated in the IPU meeting without due nomination, then it simply revealed her compromise or manipulation of our public institutions for pecuniary ends,” the group said.

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In March 2025, Natasha was suspended for six months after a row in plenary and her petition accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.

READ ALSO:Naira Appreciates Massively Against US Dollar In The Black Market, Highest In 15 Months

She claimed the incident happened in December 2023, but the Senate’s Ethics Committee dismissed her petition on procedural grounds. Despite a court order halting disciplinary action, the Senate went ahead with her suspension, which also froze her pay and barred her from official duties.

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Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged the suspension in court, insisting it was tied to her allegations. While the Senate said it acted over misconduct, the case attracted global attention after she granted interviews to international media. The matter remains unsettled, with Afenifere now urging federal authorities to investigate her claims.

Meanwhile, Natasha formally resumed her duties at the National Assembly on October 7, 2025, after her six-month suspension ended – and immediately claimed that Akpabio is a dictator.

And almost immediately, Akpabio’s media aide Kenny Okolugbo debunked the claim.

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2027: Drama As Atiku Disowns Media Consultant Over Statement On Yoruba

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The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party and a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has denied any association with a media consultant named Kola Johnson.

This is as he also rejected statements released by the media consultant on Wednesday that he would protect Yoruba interests if elected as president in 2027.

Atiku, in a statement issued on Thursday by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, alleged that “faceless mercenaries” are behind the false press statement just to discredit him.

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He also dismissed the claim as “false and offensive,” describing it as part of a calculated propaganda project to ridicule him in the media.

READ ALSO:Alleged Age Falsification: Absence Of Five Ex-police Officers Stalls Arraignment

The statement specifically mentioned one Kola Johnson, described as a “self-styled media consultant,” who allegedly released a publication claiming that an Atiku administration would be dominated by a single ethnic group.

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The statement read, “Our findings point directly to the Presidency, which, in its desperation to smear opposition leaders, has resorted to hiring faceless mercenaries to fabricate fake stories and circulate unauthorised statements on Atiku.

“Particularly offensive is the false claim attributed to this individual that an Atiku administration would be dominated by a single ethnic group. This disinformation is part of a calculated propaganda project designed to ridicule Atiku in the media.

“Let it be clear: Atiku Abubakar has never engaged one Kola Johnson as a media consultant, aide, or associate. Any statement issued in that name is fake and should be disregarded. We urge media houses that have published such falsehoods to immediately retract them.”

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READ ALSO:Why I Resigned From PDP – Atiku

The statement also clarified that authentic information on the former Vice President is only released through his Media Adviser or Special Assistant on Public Communications.

Editors and media gatekeepers are strongly advised to verify with the Atiku Media Office before publication,” the statement added.

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It was widely reported on Wednesday that Atiku has assured people of the South-West geo-political zone that their interest would remain central to his policy direction if elected President in 2027, noting that his long-standing marital and cultural ties to the region make him family.

The report quoted a statement by one, Kola Johnson, as saying that the former Vice President spoke during an engagement with select stakeholders.

READ ALSO:2027 Coalition: Atiku, Secondus, Other PDP Leaders Meet In Abuja

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The report said Atiku described the people of the South-West as one of the finest species of the human race, noting that his marriage to a Yoruba woman in the 1970s forged a permanent bond between him and the Yorubas.

He dismissed fears of Hausa/Fulani domination under his leadership as unfounded, insisting that the Yoruba were his larger extended family and in-laws.

The former vice president added that his Yoruba connections extend beyond family, as some of his closest friends and associates were from the region.

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“In case you don’t know or have forgotten, I was married to my first wife, Titi, a Yoruba woman, in the 70s, and we have four Yoruba children together. She is now over 75 years old, and we are still together.

“Besides, the Yoruba are so sophisticated and highly educated that you can only toy with them at your peril,” Atiku stated. “My Ijesha-born Yoruba wife is more than a wife to me. Aptly put, she is my Jewel of Inestimable value and anybody who knows about my family, even from a distance, can easily tell you this.”

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PHOTOS: Atiku, El-Rufai, Tambuwal, Others Attends ADC Meeting In Abuja

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Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday attended a meeting of the African Democratic Congress coalition leaders in Abuja, alongside several prominent politicians.

Among those present were former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; ex-Minister of Digital Economy, Isa Pantami; ADC National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark; former Kwara State governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed; and ex-Sokoto governor, Aminu Tambuwal.

In a post on his official X handle, Atiku described the gathering as part of efforts to resist what he called entrenched interests holding back Nigeria’s development.

READ ALSO:‘We Don’t Monitor Such Record’ —GWR Rejects Nigerian Adult Entertainment Star’s Marathon Sex Attempt

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He stated that the meeting was also against the oligarchs who promote poverty and insecurity in the country.

He wrote, “I am currently at the stakeholders meeting of the Coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja. It’s a meeting of the Nigerian people against the oligarchs who promote poverty and insecurity in the land.”

The ADC coalition was adopted in July by opposition politicians as the platform to challenge for power in the 2027 general elections.

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The African Democratic Congress, originally formed in 2005 as the Alliance for Democratic Change, later changed its name to ADC and was officially registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission in 2011. The party positioned itself as a centrist alternative to the dominant Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress.

READ ALSO:ADC Will Take Over Aso Rock, Lagos Govt House In 2027 — Aregbesola

Over the years, it has attracted defectors and reform-minded politicians seeking to build a third force in Nigeria’s political landscape.

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Other members of the coalition include former PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus; 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; former House of Representatives Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha; ex-Kogi Central Senator, Dino Melaye, and a former National Chairman of the APC, Odigie Oyegun.

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