Politics

2023: El-Rufai, Zulum, Other Northern Govs Backing South Are Traitors –Coalition

Published

4 years ago

June 5, 2022

A regional group, Northern Interests Coalition, has faulted the 10 Northern governors of the All Progressives Congress who threw their weight behind power returning to the South in 2023.

The APC Northern Governors Forum had backed the South to produce the next president of Nigeria at a meeting on Saturday.

Members of the NGF include Governors Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state, Sule Abdullahi of Nasarawa State, Babagana Zulum of Borno, Masari of Katsina, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Solomon Lalong of Plateau, Abubakar Bello of Niger, Muhammad Inuwa of Gombe, Bello Matawalle of Zamfara, Abubakar Bagudu of Kebbi and former Governor of Sokoto, Aliyu Wamako.

Chairman of the Northern Interests Coalition, Malam Umar Gazali, declared that people in the North have rejected the decision of the governors for betraying the north.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Gazali accused the governors of conspiring against the North for their selfish interests.

He said, “It has come to our notice the desperate activities of some Northern governors who, because of their selfish interests to emerge as Vice President, have decided to pressure President Muhammadu Buhari to endorse a Southern presidential candidate for the APC. This is a direct assault against Northern interests and these governors must be stopped fast.

“After power has been in the South that produced president for 14 years and Vice President for 11 years which is cumulatively 25 years. It is not only unjust but also unjustifiable that our governors will be conspiring against the North to lose power after only 8 years of the Buhari presidency.”

According to him, the governors have ganged up to pressure president Muhammadu Buhari, to endorse their self-centred agenda.

While disclosing that the North disowns their bad intentions, he vowed the coalition and its supporters across the region shall resist them.

“The only thing is that we advise the governors allegedly involved in this evil plot to desist immediately. The president must not only ignore them but refuse to be confused by these betrayers of the North.

“The eleven Northern Governors have betrayed the North for their selfish interests. We condemn their actions in the strongest possible terms and once again we urge the president to ignore them completely.

“This is not a mere allegation. The statement made by these eleven betrayers of Northern interests in this respect is in the public domain as released and signed by them today recommending to the president that the search for his successor be limited to the South. This is undemocratic and injurious to the interests of the North and must not be allowed to stand,” he stated.

PUNCH.

Politics

Dino Melaye Reacts To Malami’s Arraignment For Money Laundering

Published

3 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Ex-Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has reacted to the arraignment of a former Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, before an Abuja Federal High Court.

Melaye wished Malami well as he began his trial for corruption.

Posting on X, the former lawmaker recalled how he was prosecuted by Malami over what he described as frivolous cases while he was the AGF.

He wrote: “Reminded me of how I was appearing in different courts when Malami as AGF was prosecuting me over frivolous cases including taking over one of the police cases against me. Wish him.well.”

Malami, his son Abdulaziz, and another individual are facing a 16-count charge of money laundering.

They were arraigned on allegations of unlawful acquisition and concealment of funds.

They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Politics

What PDP Said About Wike’s Media Parley

Published

4 days ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, of being a constant agent of provocation in the political space, alleging that he creates trouble to mask selfish intentions.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, stated this in a statement issued on Monday in response to Wike’s media parley with selected journalists in Port Harcourt, also held on Monday.

According to the PDP, remarks made by the minister on several occasions are proof that he falls short of being a locus classicus of anti-democratic adventurism.

The party said Wike’s conduct was not new, stressing that he has consistently acted as an agent provocateur in the political arena, stirring controversy to advance personal interests.

The PDP further stated that since Wike assumed office as Governor of Rivers State in 2015, he has remained a recurrent source of trouble within the party’s leadership.

“From the Sheriff era, where he was a forerunner in the Sheriff-for-National Chairman movement and later turned to fight and remove Sheriff; later he championed the Uche Secondus-for-National Chairman movement (in fact, he granted a very combustible interview that polarized the party just before the convention) and then was the same person fighting to remove Secondus.

“The same Wike led the movement to produce Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman against the advice of many party leaders, and so soon thereafter, it was Wike again who led the Ayu-must-go struggle.

“By his end-of-year media chat, Minister Nyesom Wike has reiterated his support for, and in fact declared that he is the ‘number one supporter’ of the presumptive candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 Presidential election, while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, confirming the basis of his expulsion from the PDP, for anti-party activities,” the statement said.

Politics

JUST IN: INEC Excludes PDP From Ekiti Governorship Election

Published

4 days ago

December 29, 2025

Editor

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2026 Ekiti governorship election, Dr Wole Oluyede, and his deputy were conspicuously absent as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, released the provisional list of party candidates ahead of the election.

INEC on Monday posted the list of candidates from 12 political parties vying for the state’s top job at its office on New Iyin Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The list shows that the All Progressives Congress, APC, is fielding the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, with Monisade Afuye as his running mate.

Other candidates include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, with Omoyemi Olaleye as deputy; Akande Oluwasegun of the African Action Congress, paired with Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; and Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye as running mate.

Similarly, the African Democratic Congress is presenting Oluwadare Bejide and Paul Olowoyeye, while the Action Peoples Party has Bidemi Awogbemi and Akinyemi Adewumi on its ticket.

The PDP’s absence may not be unconnected with the leadership crisis currently rocking the party at the national level.