Politics

APC Plots To Shortchange Christians, Ex-SGF Lawal Alleges

Published

3 years ago

September 25, 2022

Editor

Christian politicians in Northern Nigeria would remain steadfast in their stand for justice, equity and fair play in the 2023 political dispensation in the overall interest of the nation, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has said.

According to him, any nation or political dispensation built on injustice would crumble because justice and equity settle all other disputes.

Lawal in a statement he sent to The PUNCH in Abuja on Sunday titled, “Why we are doing what we are doing”, was pleading with Nigerians to understand the position of the Northern Christian politicians on the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 presidential election.

He said neither the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, nor his running mate, Kashim Shettima and the political party has ever seen anything wrong in their choice of same faith ticket for 2023 to make peace or assuage the feelings of Northern Christian politicians.

The statement reads, “Quite a number of Nigerians have reached out to Rt Hon (Yakubu) Dogara and I and to some of the leaders in our eminent group of Northern Christian politicians to sheath our swords and instead go for negotiations with the APC.

“I now want to respond to this. We have so far not taken the road to reconciliation because, in the first instance, neither the APC as a party nor its presidential candidate has bothered to seek us out for reconciliation even though early on, our doors were left open for such.

“We only get to learn of their views through vile propaganda in the media courtesy of their rabid attack hogs whom they have procured in abundance.

“There are of course some “Christian” turncoats and “Judases” who, driven either by moral turpitude, poverty or greed, have hired themselves out as agents and spoilers of this noble Christian course.

“To this group, I wish to recommend the study of the biographies of Judas Iscariot and Ahithophel in the Bible. Be careful to note how their lives ended.

“It seems that Bola/Shettima’s preferred approach is to attempt to counter our position through insults and sponsored fake Christian organizations in order to create the impression that there is a division within the Christendom on this matter.

“Needless to say, this tactic has failed woefully. They are now the but of jokes in church gatherings all over the country. Unknown to them Church history emphatically records that Christians are more united in terms of adversity and persecution as now being propelled by this Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC.

“This approach has also portrayed the duo as arrogant and pitiable people while also exposing them to the public as people with unimaginable deficiencies of noble character.

“The reality is that for each minute that this same-faith ticket duo have spent on their goebellsian propaganda, they have ended up spending several hours more trying to rebut the controversies that they themselves create in the process.

“Everyone, including some notable Christian haters are now inviting false “Bishops” and “CAN” Leaders to meetings. They are busy fabricating overnight “Christian” organizations that churn out falsehoods to the public.

“It is such a pity that people who intend to lead our country could descend to such low levels of morality and deficiency of conscience.

“But belying this posture is the reality of their true intentions not to have any roles for northern Christians in their government.

“The unarguable fact is that they intend to offer nothing of significance to any northern Christian in an APC government anticipated to be led by Bola and Kashim.

“The reality of their zoning arrangement is that the North East region is already out of the equation for any other posts because it has the Vice Presidency while the North Central too is out because they have the party’s National Chairmanship.

“The other key positions, the Senate President, Speaker, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chief of Staff to the President, have been zoned to the North West, South South, South East and South West regions, respectively.

“Besides, we all know that there is and will be no ranking christian Senator or House of Representatives member from the North West that could occupy the seats of Senate President, Speaker or even their deputies.

“In any case, it is an open secret that they never allow Christians to occupy such positions in the North West Zone even if there is a qualified Christian.

“Who then do they think they are fooling with this their “there are other positions in government that could go to the northern Christians” mantra?

“If Kashim Shettima worked determinedly with Bola Tinubu’s acquiescence to deny the northern Christians the Deputy National Chairman (North) position during the party’s National Convention, what magic will then compel them to give a northern Christian any significant posts in their government?

“Let us make no mistake; these guys will persecute us to no end. They are very well practiced in this.

“My dear Christians, it has been clear to us from the onset that APC, Bola and Kashim never had the intention or plan that offers the Northern Christians any sense of inclusion through any tangible roles in their government.

“Those with major political influence on them are mostly religious bigots of the hegemonist flavor and some self-centered sycophants of the evil kind.

“So instead of reconciliation which would involve offering some important positions to Northern Christians, they have decided to go for broke and ignore the interests of Christians of the north.”

Politics

Rhodes-Vivour Dumps Labour Party, Joins ADC

Published

11 hours ago

September 6, 2025

Editor

The former Labour Party governorship candidate in the 2023 election in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, has formally declared for the African Democratic Congress.

Rhodes-Vivour made the announcement at an event held in Lagos on Saturday.

The development came on the heels of a coalition of opposition parties under the ADC platform seeking to wrestle power from the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2027 general elections.

The party officially formed the coalition in July, courting prominent figures in a bid to build a formidable third force ahead of the polls.

Speaking during the declaration, Rhodes-Vivour described the move as part of a broader coalition.

He said, “I am happy to become part of this family. I’m looking forward to the union and governance that this party will bring to Nigerians. My prayer is that God will grant our leaders and the party’s structure the wisdom to come together and define a new path for our beloved country.”

The politician also called for unity among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“This is a coalition that is meant to rescue Nigeria. I have said since after the 2023 elections that we cannot afford to divide the opposition going into the next election. We must come together, united through a robust coalition that will stand a chance in 2027 to deliver this country,” he added.

Rhodes-Vivour had accused the police on Friday of attempting to frustrate the event, which was scheduled to take place in the Alimosho area of the state.

In a statement issued by his aide, Olalekan Anjolaiya, the organisers were said to have duly notified the police about the event.

It was, however, gathered that security operatives barred Rhodes-Vivour and his supporters from gaining access to the venue on Saturday morning, before it was later moved to another location within the local government area.

Reacting to the incident, he said, “I’m going to address the press later on the events that happened today and those that happened since yesterday. But with this speech, I just want to confirm that I am joining the ADC coalition.”

The Chairman of the ADC in the state, George Ashiru, said the move signalled the strengthening of an opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He also described Rhodes-Vivour’s defection as a historic affirmation of a coalition that had been in the works since the last election.

He said, “Today we are having one of the most important affirmation programmes where our coalition partners from one of the key blocs in the Labour Party are joining this wonderful family of Nigerians, the African Democratic Congress.

“We are not affirming one man, we are affirming a movement, but every movement has a leader, and what brother Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour represents is the leadership of a movement that shook Lagos in the last election.”

According to him, the coalition was built on a foundation of communication that began during the 2023 polls and had now matured into a common platform to challenge the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Also speaking at the event, a representative of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Professor Ola Olateju, urged party members to believe in their capacity to provide an alternative for Nigerians.

He said, “We should not look at ourselves as if we are not able or not competent to rescue Nigeria. Anybody here could become anything. There is equal opportunity for everybody irrespective of ethnic group, agenda or class. ADC is not just a political party; it’s a movement, a movement of the people. It is an exodus. We are moving in order to rescue Nigeria.”

Politics

NNPP Expels Reps Member, Drags Him To Court

Published

12 hours ago

September 6, 2025

Editor

The Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has expelled Abdulmumin Jibrin, member representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, over alleged insubordination and failure to remit statutory party dues.

Announcing the decision at a press conference on Saturday, NNPP state chairman, Hon. Hashim Sulaiman Dungurawa, said the move was necessary to uphold party discipline and supremacy.

Dungurawa accused Jibrin, a former chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation, of demarketing the party’s national leader and 2023 presidential candidate, Sen. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, while allegedly aligning with President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC.

He said Jibrin’s repeated media appearances, including a recent interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, discredited the party’s principles and projected views that did not represent NNPP’s official position.

“If he was truly strong politically, he would have won his election under the APC in 2019, but he failed. It was Kwankwasiyya and NNPP that gave him victory in 2023. Now he is deceiving himself, thinking he is strong,” Dungurawa said.

Jibrin, who has met President Tinubu twice at the Presidential Villa in recent weeks, has publicly hinted at a possible defection, saying he remains open to joining any party, including APC, PDP, ADC, or PRP.

Dungurawa disclosed that a reconciliation committee was initially set up to engage Jibrin after his first interview, but the lawmaker “crossed the line” by granting a subsequent interview to DCL Hausa, where he openly discussed his next political moves.

“Instead of dialogue, he went further to work against our interest and openly declared loyalty outside the party. That is why we expelled him. He has no value to add to NNPP,” Dungurawa said, adding that the party will drag Jibrin to court to recover unpaid dues.

On speculation that Jibrin may return to the APC, Dungurawa said such a move would not affect the NNPP’s strength.

“Politics is about groups and coalitions. Kwankwasiyya remains solidly behind our leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso,” he stressed.

Politics

Why We Are Yet To Recognise ADC Leadership – INEC

Published

12 hours ago

September 6, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the African Democratic Congress (ADC)
is yet to comply with the extant rules required for the formal recognition of Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as its National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The lack of compliance, INEC stated, renders all official documents and communications bearing their signatures null and void until the process is completed.

Speaking with newsmen, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, through his Chief Press Secretary, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said:

“Ask ADC if they have truly complied with all the requirements. They visited the Commission recently, and we told them what the problem was. They are aware. Please get in touch with Bolaji Abdullahi, their spokesperson, who was part of the delegation. He ought to have briefed journalists about their visit and what transpired.”

On the implications for ADC candidates in upcoming elections, Oyekanmi said:
“I believe the party will comply with extant rules. Once they do, they won’t have any problem.”

Although INEC did not specify the outstanding requirements, it was gathered that ADC is expected to submit sample signatures of the National Chairman and National Secretary, along with other documentation in line with its constitution.

INEC regulations require political parties to submit detailed resolutions, verified signatures of authorised officials, and evidence of adherence to constitutional procedures before any leadership change can be recognised.

Reacting to the development, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the delay was “largely administrative” and confirmed that the party made the required submissions to INEC last Thursday.

“We have had clarity now, and we made the required submission to INEC last Thursday. We are hopeful that everything will be resolved in the coming week,” he said.

The party has repeatedly accused unnamed individuals of attempts to frustrate its growth ahead of the 2027 general elections and other off-cycle polls.