Politics

El-Rufai, PDP In A Fight To Finish In Kaduna

Published

3 years ago

March 16, 2023

As the Saturday, March 18 date for the governorship and state assembly elections approaches, political observers project that the seeming redrawing of Nigeria’s electoral map, which began during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections, could continue.

That means the reign of some gladiators in some political parties and states will be determined at the polls. So, it is either they guard their ‘political kingdom’ and win their turf for their parties or they are dethroned.

Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s Kaduna State presents one such interesting scenario. During the February 25 elections, the Peoples Democratic Party almost rendered the governor, a king without a kingdom with his ruling All Progressives Congress getting a thorough beating at the polls.

The PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, defeated the APC candidate, Bola Tinubu, in the state.

Atiku garnered 554,360 votes to beat Tinubu, who got 399,293 votes to come second while the Labour Party’s Peter Obi polled 294,494 votes to claim third position.

El-Rufai has been the governor of the state since 2015 under the APC. But, under his reign, the APC lost the three senatorial seats to the PDP at the National Assembly polls.

The main opposition party also won 10 seats out of the total 16 seats for the House of Representatives in the state.

The Central North Senatorial district seat was won by Lawal Usman of the PDP who polled 225,066 votes to defeat the former Chief of Staff and Commissioner for Budget and Planning to Governor El-rufai, Abdullahi Sani, of the APC, who garnered 182,035 votes.

According to the Returning Officer, Prof. Haruna Adamu of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the candidate of the Labour Party, Ibrahim Sani, came third with 87,510 votes while Umar Tijjani of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, polled 24,395 votes to place fourth.

The PDP also clinched the Kaduna North Senatorial District won by its candidate, Khalid Mustapha, who defeated the incumbent, Senator Suleiman Kwari, of the APC.

Mustapha scored 250,826 votes to defeat Kwari, who got 190,008 votes.

The governorship battle

Against the above backdrop, many see the Saturday governorship election in the state as both challenging and of course interesting, a battle to finish between El-Rufai’s APC candidate and the PDP.

The PUNCH reports that no fewer than nine governorship candidates in the state on March 6 endorsed the candidate of the PDP, Isa Ashiru, as the consensus candidate.

Under the platform of the ‘Kaduna State Rescue and Rebuild Gubernatorial candidates Forum,’ they claim that the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the APC is a mere ploy to divide the state along religious lines.

The nine parties comprised the Young Progressives Party, Action Alliance, Allied Peoples Movement, All People’s Party, All Progressives Grand Alliance, and National Rescue Movement as well as the leadership of the Accord Party, ADP and the Zenith Labour Party.

Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, the Chairman of the Forum, who’s also the governorship candidate of the YPP, Sani Yaya, said they decided to endorse the PDP candidate because he remained the best man for the job.

Going by how people voted in the state during the presidential election, pundits believe the PDP could have its best outing since 2015 this time around. If the pattern of voting continues, the PDP might cruise to victory again on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the idea of a Muslim-Muslim ticket strategy introduced by El-Rufai, which worked for him in 2019, may also be in favour of the APC governorship candidate, Uba Sani.

Before his election as senator in 2019, Sani had served as political adviser to El-Rufai in 2015. He is the incumbent senator for Kaduna Central senatorial district

His campaign jingles and programmes dominate virtually all local radio stations in Kaduna.

He promises to review and build on El-Rufai’s achievements in the past seven and half years, though citizens of the state do not seem to generally be in agreement on the governor’s achievements, especially, Christians, who might have reservations. The APC’s Muslim-Muslim ticket is what the opposition parties are exploiting to campaign against the APC.

Meanwhile, as much as the election is majorly between the APC and the PDP, there is also a major factor which is the growing influence of the Labour Party.

The LP governorship candidate, Jonathan Asake, was the President of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, which makes him popular in Southern Kaduna. Asake is an obstacle which the APC and the PDP have to deal with.

No doubt, the major contest will be between the APC and the PDP on Saturday, and while the PDP will want to capitalise on the success it recorded in the presidential election in the state, the ruling APC will be doing everything to spring back into reckoning from the February 25 defeat and save the outgoing governor from a devastating political misfortune.
PUNCH

Politics

2027: Rivers APC Pledges To Follow Wike’s Instructions

Published

8 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Editor

Leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State, has declared that whatever instruction the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, gives on the 2027 elections concerning the State will be followed.

The Chairman of the party, Mr Rejoice Otobo, stated this during Wike’s “thank you” visit to the local government area on Sunday.

Otobo assured Wike that the people would not fail him because of what he has done in the area.

“We await instructions from you on the 2027 elections concerning Rivers State. Wherever you ask us to go, there we shall go; whatever you ask us to do is what we will do.

“All the good and the bad people of the LGA have decided that where you want us to go is where we will go,” the chairman said.

Similarly, his counterpart in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Ikechukwu Obuzor, said that the minister has given Ahoada people hope and pledged complete loyalty.

“I want to say that we are standing firm with you. Wherever you go, we will go. Be rest assured come 2027, Ahoada West will deliver the needed results for you,” he said.

Earlier, Chairman of Ahoada Local Government Council, Mr Chita Eugene, who described Wike as “the political field marshall of South South”, praised him for the unprecedented development he attracted to Rivers State.

Eugene said that the visit was not just a thank you visit; it was a celebration of effective leadership and public service.

Also, House of Representatives member representing Ahoada West/Ogba-Egbema/Ndoni Federal Constituency, Victor Obuzor, said that Wike deserved his support because he had done well for the LGA, and equally transformed Rivers State during his tenure as governor of the state.

Similarly, the Seyi Tinubu Support Group, led by Chidi Amadi, equally pledged their support to Wike and reelection of President Bola Tinubu for a second term.

In his remarks, Wike explained that he was in the area to thank the people for the overwhelming support given to him and Tinubu during the 2023 elections.

He said that Rivers State used to be respected for its strong political stand on good governance across the country until bad governance happened.

The minister, who insisted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara must not be voted for a second term, stressed the need to restore the glory of the state in the political landscape of the country.

This, he said, would be achieved by correcting the leadership mistake in the state in 2027.

“Already, Rivers State is being respected because of what we are doing in FCT. We need a leader we can trust to drive our dear state to glory and progress,” the minister said.

Politics

Why Kano Governor Postponed Formal Defection To APC

Published

10 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Editor

…You can’t betray me to succeed ―Kwankwaso

The much-anticipated defection of Kano State governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has allegedly been postponed.

This is just as leader of the NNPP and former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, warned party members against political betrayal, insisting that defection from the movement has never brought lasting success.

According to a reliable source who preferred anonymity, the official defection of the governor earlier scheduled for Monday, January 5, 2026, has now been shifted to Monday, January 12, 2026.

The source noted that Governor Yusuf requested additional time to conclude consultations with key political actors.

The source, who was present at a meeting between Governor Yusuf and Vice President Kashim Shettima in Abuja on Friday, said the governor is seeking to engage a few remaining state legislators and other critical stakeholders who are yet to fully align with the proposed political realignment.

“Kano is a politically sensitive state and the governor wants to ensure that all necessary consultations are completed before making such a major decision,” the source said.

But Kwankwaso, who spoke during a meeting with supporters at his residence in Kano, said he was neither surprised nor disturbed by the alleged moves of some members planning to defect from the party to rival political parties.

In a viral video from the gathering circulating on social media, Kwankwaso stressed that political history is unforgiving to those who abandon the movements that brought them to prominence.

“I want to remind those who left us that nobody has betrayed us and succeeded,” Kwankwaso said. “Political history is very clear on this matter. Those who believe they can rise by betraying the people and the movement they came from should think deeply.”

The former governor, who was the NNPP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, said the strength of the party does not depend on the loyalty of a few political office holders but on the support of ordinary citizens, who believe in the ideals of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.

“I am not disturbed by these developments.

“What truly matters is the support of the masses, not the movement of a few politicians who are chasing personal interests,” he added.

Kwankwaso pointed to the large turnout of supporters at the meeting as evidence that the NNPP continues to enjoy strong grassroots backing across Kano State despite the rumours of political realignments.

“You can see with your own eyes the number of people who came here today. This shows clearly that our movement is alive, strong and firmly rooted among the people of Kano,” he said.

He reaffirmed the party’s commitment to people-centred governance, social justice and political inclusion, describing the Kwankwasiyya Movement as bigger than any individual and resilient to political manoeuvring or defections.

Kano, long regarded as a strategic hub of northern Nigerian politics, has been rife with speculation following reports of the governor’s planned defection. The development has continued to generate intense political interest, with analysts saying that Yusuf’s move could significantly alter the balance of power in the state.

As of the time of filing this report, neither the Kano State government nor the leadership of the NNPP and APC has issued an official statement on the postponed defection.

Politics

Dino Melaye Reacts To Malami’s Arraignment For Money Laundering

Published

6 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.