Politics

El-Rufai Absent As Northern Govs, Others Campaign For Tinubu In Borno

Published

3 years ago

February 18, 2023

Tinubu at a campaign rally

Several governors of the Northern states and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress trooped out on Saturday to drum support for the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, at his campaign rally in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

The development came about 48 hours after a similar spectacle was recorded in Ibadan, Oyo State, where the APC rally brought the former headquarters of the defunct Western Region to a standstill.

In Maiduguri, major streets of the city, especially those leading from the Borno State Government House to the palace of the Shehu of Borno and El-Kanemi Stadium, venue of the campaign rally, were filled with jubilant supporters bearing colourful APC placards and banners.

In attendance were the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, members of the National Working Committee of the party, Governors Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa) and Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger).

Others were Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, members of the National Assembly, former chiefs of army staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.) and Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai (rtd.), among other members of the party.

But the absence of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai was felt at the carnival-like event.

The heavy campaign train brought human and vehicular movements to a halt in major parts of the city as many supporters abandoned their vehicles to trek long distances to catch a glimpse of the APC presidential candidate.

Speaking at the rally and the Shehu palace, key stakeholders assured the former Lagos State governor of victory at the February 25th poll.

The colourful event also witnessed the coming together of key players in Borno politics including all its former governors who expressed commitment to APC’s victory.

In his address at the palace, Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, expressed gratitude to Tinubu for picking a son of the state as his running mate.

“You have done all for us and now it is for us to deliver APC in Borno State,” he said.

Continuing, Zulum described the APC candidate as being more than a political ally as he had shown concerns for the difficult times the state went through at the peak of the Boko Haram insurgency more than anyone else.

He said, “During our trying times he has always been with us. He has visited us between seven and eight times in the last eleven years. There is nobody else that has done anything like that for us.”

Taking turns to address the rally, former Borno State governors, Maina Ma’aji Lawal, Ali Modu Sheriff and Kashim Shettima, said Borno’s faith in APC has been strengthened with Shettima’S nomination as the vice presidential candidate of the party.

They assured Tinubu that the state would fulfil its part by giving overwhelming votes to him.

Governors Badaru Abubakar of Jigawa and Mai Mala Buni of Yobe state, challenged residents of the state to not allow any state overtake them in giving the APC more votes in view of the party’s magnanimity to them.

In his speech, Tinubu promised to re-activate oil exploration in the Lake Chad Basin and recharge the drying lake to generate jobs and boost agricultural production in the area.

“Security is top on our agenda and Nigeria will see peace and stability. The Borno people and their neighbours will witness prosperity and happiness,” he said.

Tinubu assuaged the feeling of those who are facing difficulties at the moment, saying ease would soon come their way.

The presidential candidate paid tribute to his running mate who, he said, he knew very well, saying the two of them share attributes that would be used to make Nigeria greater.

He said just like he did in Lagos, Shettima has also done the same in Borno by laying a good foundation and ensuring good leadership succession.

“Zulum is a symbol of continuity. Shettima is a representation of achievement,” he said.
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Politics

Tinubu Sends Ex-INEC Chair, Former Oyo First Lady, 30 Additional Ambassadorial Nominees To Senate

Published

2 days ago

November 29, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, just days after submitting an initial batch of three names.

In two separate letters to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President urged the upper chamber to consider and swiftly confirm 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career nominees.

The list includes four women among the career nominees and six women among the non-career nominees.

Prominent names on the non-career list include Barrister Ogbonnaya Kalu from Abia State; former presidential aide, Reno Omokri (Delta); former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; former Ekiti First Lady, Erelu Angela Adebayo; and former Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Others are former Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Tasiu Musa Maigari; former Plateau State Commissioner, Yakubu N. Gambo; and former Deputy Executive Secretary of UBEC, Yakubu K. Musa.

Also nominated are former Plateau senator, Prof. Nora Ladi Daduut; former Lagos Deputy Governor, Otunba Femi Pedro; former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; and Barrister Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu from Anambra State.

Additional nominees include former Oyo First Lady, Fatima Florence Ajimobi; former Lagos Commissioner, Lola Akande; former Adamawa senator, Grace Bent; former Abia governor, Victor Okezie Ikpeazu; Senator Jimoh Ibrahim of Ondo State; and former envoy to the Holy See, Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu (Benue).

The career ambassadorial nominees are Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia), Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba), Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa), Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi), Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa), Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi), and Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun).

Others include Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo), Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo), Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger), Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina), Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno), Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna), Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara), and Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun).

The new nominees are expected to be deployed to countries with which Nigeria maintains strong and strategic diplomatic relations, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as to Permanent Missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO, and the African Union.

Their specific postings will be determined after Senate confirmation.

Recall that President Tinubu, last week, forwarded three ambassadorial nominees, Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun), who are being considered for postings to the UK, USA, or France.

President Tinubu said additional ambassadorial nominations will be announced in due course.

Politics

Soludo Visits Tinubu, Goes Into Closed Door Session With President

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

Editor

Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo, on Thursday, paid a courtesy visit to the President, Bola Tinubu, GCFR at the State House.

Report by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Soludo, Mr Chris Aburime stated that President Tinubu received the Anambra State Governor with excitement, describing him as his long standing friend of over 22 years.

Aburime said, “The President used the occasion to further congratulate Governor Soludo on his landslide victory in the just concluded Anambra gubernatorial election.

“Recall that President Tinubu had earlier issued a congratulatory message to Governor Soludo immediately the governorship election was concluded.”

Governor Soludo was declared winner with 73% of the votes cast by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Other details of the meeting were, however, not disclosed as the press Secretary told DAILY POST that both men went into a closed door meeting after the reception.

Politics

2027: I Will Resign If Tinubu Loses In Edo – Governor Okpebholo

Published

3 days ago

November 28, 2025

Editor

Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholor has vowed that President Bola Tinubu will win the 2027 presidential election in Edo State.

Okpebholor in an interview captured in a viral video vowed to resign if the outcome of the 2027 election does not favour the president in Edo State.

According to him, the entire people in Edo State are ready to vote for the president, citing projects that his (Okpebholor) administration executed since the All Progressives Congress, APC took over the state.

He claimed that there is no opposition in the state, stressing that everyone is supporting the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

He said, “There is no opposition here in Edo everybody is for Asiwaju in this state.

“Tinubu is more popular than me in Edo state. If he doesn’t win the presidential election in Edo in 2027, I will resign.”