Politics

APC Crisis: Discontent Over Tinubu, NEC Confirmation Of Same-faith Appointments

Published

2 years ago

August 4, 2023

The decision of the National Executive Committee NEC of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC to appoint a same-faith National Chairman and National Secretary for the party on Thursday was met with a wave of discontent, as some chieftains of the party described the action as “terribly insensitive”.

Wednesday’s night meeting of the National Caucus of the party had recommended the immediate-past Governor of Kano state, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje for the office of National Chairman, and spokesperson of the 9th Senate, Ajibola Basiru as National Secretary.

Their nominations followed the recent forced resignation of the erstwhile National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu and National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

Two officials of the party who spoke to Vanguard off the records said while the development could not be immediately reversed, it must be on record that the APC has now yielded itself to a particular religion.

“We know what we went through with the Tinubu/Shettima Muslim-Muslim ticket. As if that was not enough, we were on the verge of producing a Muslim Senate President until many of us protested. That said, we still have a Muslim Speaker.

“We did not force Adamu out only to be replaced by another Muslim. If you read the statements of the former National Vice Chairman, Northwest, Salihu Moh. Lukman one of his consistent demands was that Adamu be replaced with a Christian from the North Central.

“Now, you did not do that but went ahead to even distort the zoning formula by taking that office to the North West.

“And to add salt to injury, the new National Secretary is also a Muslim. These are the two main people who run the party. There should be religious sensitivity”, he stated.

At its 12th meeting in Abuja on Thursday, the APC NEC mandated the National Working Committee NWC to consult with all relevant stakeholders, evolve an acceptable zoning formula and fill other vacant positions within its fold.

Some of the vacancies the NWC was mandated to fill include Deputy National Chairman, North, National Woman Leader and National Legal Adviser. The office of the National Vice Chairman, Northwest, was not listed as Vanguard had earlier reported that the NWC was yet to accept the resignation of the occupant, Salihu Moh. Lukman.

Vanguard gathered that the National Legal Adviser of the party, Ahmed El-Marzuk had resigned from the party’s NWC earlier in the week but kept his resignation under wraps.

It was learned that he resigned his appointment following insistence by some of his colleagues that he could no longer be in office due to some grave allegations against him which had prompted his interrogation by one of the anti-graft agencies.

However, a man who identified himself as “Special Adviser to the National Legal Adviser”, AbdulHalim Adamu in a statement said his principal resigned to allow for the ongoing “reconfiguration of Party offices for national cohesion and adequate regional representation”.

He said; “In light of the recent developments within our great Party the All Progressives Congress APC, with the emergence of His Excellency, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and Senator Ajibola Basiru as National Chairman and National Secretary and the reconfiguration of Party offices for national cohesion and adequate regional representation, the National Legal Adviser found it pertinent that he resigns his position within the Party to allow for a smooth reconfiguration of the party’s leadership”.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio had at the commencement of the meeting moved a motion for an amendment of the agenda to empower the NWC to make realignments and take care of some vacancies, but was roundly rejected with shouts of “No, No”.
VANGUARD

Politics

Probe Natasha’s Allegations Against Akpabio, Afenifere Urges FG

Published

2 days ago

September 26, 2025

Editor

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Politics

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

Published

2 days ago

September 25, 2025

Editor

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.

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

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

Politics

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

Published

2 days ago

September 25, 2025

Editor

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.

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.

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.

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

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.