Politics

Ministerial List: Don’t Appoint Ex-northern Govs, APC Stakeholders Urge Tinubu

Published

2 years ago

June 20, 2023

Stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the north, under the aegis of Northern Progressives Union, NPU, have asked President Bola Tinubu to resist the temptation of appointing any of the immediate past northern governor as a minister in his cabinet.

They particularly zeroed in on the former Jigawa State governor, Mohammed Badaru.

The stakeholders in a statement signed on their behalf by Mohammed Kiyawa, yesterday, said the group is making the plea based on the fact that the former governors were all spent forces, failed politicians and disgruntled leaders, who do not fit into today’s reality of the present vision of the Renewed Hope mantra of the present administration.

The statement read: “We are the foot soldiers of the APC in this part of the country and, therefore, making a categorical statement urging Mr President and the APC as a political party not to entertain the idea of nominating any of the former governors from the region in the incoming cabinet as they do not have the required capacity and capability to drive the process.

“Our demand is legitimate and is consequent upon the misdeeds of some of them during the 2023 general elections where most were moles and fifth columnists used by the opposition parties and in most cases, funds given to them for elections were not touched.

“While President Tinubu was mobilising at all levels, the former governor seeking ministerial nomination could not deliver votes from his area.”

According to the stakeholders, Jigawa, Yobe and Zamfara states can be adjudged among the least politically astute states in northern Nigeria and were most likely to move in line with the body language of their key leaders they identified with and not necessarily any other factor.

They said: “In Jigawa State 2023 presidential election, the Hadejia Emirate, consisting Birniwa, Kirikasamma, Guri, Hadejia, Malam Madori, Kaugama, Auyo and Kafin Hausa local governments, massively voted for APC owing to the fact that one of them was made APC governorship candidate for the first time ever since the creation of the state.

‘’The votes were not necessarily due to any funds disbursed by the former governor. In the first place, the governor never disbursed any money; the truth is that for some of us on the ground, it was found that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, outspent APC, hence the reason PDP got considerable votes.

“Otherwise, it should have been a landslide for APC because of the zoning arrangement in favour of the governorship candidate of our great party as stated.

“The PDP had a very good showing in Gumel Emirate, comprising Gumel, Maigatari, Sule Tankarkar local governments.

“This again may be due to those places being traditionally PDP apologists and perhaps APC’s non-mobilization of the appropriate resources.

“APC did very well in the Ringim Emirate, consisting Ringim, Garki, Taura, Gagarawa owing to the philanthropy of a man called Gerawa, who is arguably the biggest entrepreneur in the state and the biggest investor in the politics of the state.”

VANGUARD

Politics

INEC Has Not Confirmed ADC State Leaders – Party

Published

8 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed a report claiming that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed a list of its state chairmen across Nigeria.

In a statement on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the circulating report titled “Coalition Update: INEC Confirms ADC State Chairmen Nationwide” as “fake news” aimed at creating confusion within the party.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission, to the best of our knowledge and verification, has issued no such confirmation, neither officially nor unofficially,” Abdullahi said.

He explained that choosing and approving state leaders is the party’s internal responsibility, not INEC’s.

“The process of constituting and ratifying state leadership within any political party lies squarely within the party’s constitutional prerogative. INEC only recognizes what the party submits through the appropriate channels after due process,” he added.

Abdullahi urged ADC members and the public to ignore the fake list and wait for official communication.

“We therefore urge our members and stakeholders to remain calm, vigilant, and guided by official communication from the national leadership of the ADC,” he said.

He reassured supporters that the ADC remains committed to discipline, structure, and internal democracy, adding that any genuine updates on party leadership will be shared through verified platforms.

Politics

How Bello Deceitfully Assured Me Of Kogi Guber Ticket For 4 Years — Onoja

Published

18 hours ago

September 14, 2025

Editor

Former deputy governor of Kogi State, Edward David Onoja, has revealed that his former principal, Yahaya Bello, assured him for four years that he would succeed him as governor, only to change his decision a day before the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election.

Onoja made the disclosure during an interview on MIC ON Podcast published on Saturday night, where he recounted his political journey and his relationship with former Governor Bello.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Onoja had served as Chief of State for about four years before becoming deputy governor under Bello until their tenure elapsed.

“For four years before 2023, he (Yahaya Bello) was the one who called me and said, ‘You will succeed me, get prepared.’ And of course, I planned, I worked, and when it was time, he gave all of us the opportunity (to contest),” Onoja said.

According to him, about seven cabinet members at the time, including himself, picked up the All Progressives Congress (APC) nomination forms on Bello’s directive, but in the end, Bello’s support was with the current governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo.

“At the end of the day, his heart and his choice was with the current governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo,” he said.

Onoja revealed that Bello broke the news to him just a day before the party primaries, a decision he respected despite his disappointment.

“When he broke the news to me a day before the primaries, I told him, ‘You are the boss, you are over me, what you see is what I see, so let’s go get the job done, but I hope you are not making a mistake.’ There were no issues, and then we went to the field and did our best for our candidate,” he stated.

Onoja, who is now a board member of the South-East Development Commission (SEDC), emphasised that despite the turn of events, he remained committed to ensuring victory for the party’s eventual candidate and winner of the last Kogi State governorship election, Ododo, who went on to succeed Bello.

Politics

Alleged Infidelity: Soludo’s Wife Issues Senator Ekwunife Ultimatum To Apologize

Published

19 hours ago

September 14, 2025

Editor

Mrs. Nonye Soludo

…dares her for fidelity oath, paternal DNA test challenge

The wife of Anambra State governor, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, has issued Senator Uche Ekwunife 72 hours ultimatum to withdraw claims of Infidelity against her and tender a public apology, or face legal action.

She also challenged the senator for both of them to swear an oath of fidelity before the Blessed Virgin Mary or subject their children to DNA tests.

The challenge followed claims by Ekwunife, deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2025 Anambra governorship election, who alleged that Mrs Soludo was once close to former Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju.

In a statement issued on Friday, Nonye Soludo accused the former fenale lawmaker of fabricating allegations and dragging her children into political disputes.

She described Ekwunife’s comments as malicious and said: “Since Uche Ekwunife claims to be a converted Catholic, I challenge her for both of us to swear an oath of fidelity and chastity at any cathedral in front of the Blessed Sacrament and the Bible.

“I will swear (with my children) that in my 55 years on earth, I have known only one man—Chukwuma Soludo. On your part, you should also swear (with your children or your political ambitions) that since you got married, you have never cheated on your husband,” she declared.

Soludo’s wife also invited Ekwunife to scientific verification through DNA testing.

“I challenge you, Uche Ekwunife, for us to subject our children to paternity tests in three reputable hospitals in London. I will pay all the expenses, including travel for you and your family. If the results confirm that your husband fathered all your children, I will not only congratulate you but also present a cash award,” she added.

The governor’s wife emphasised her Christian upbringing and marital fidelity.

“I married him as a virgin and my fidelity to him in 33 years of marriage and for life is ironclad,” she said.

Declaring that her life has never depended on government patronage, even as First Lady, Mrs. Soludo vowed to sustain her defence “with decency, character, and grace.”

“My weapons are decency, character, and grace. I am a long-distance runner, and I welcome you to the marathon,” she stated.

The confrontation stemmed from Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s earlier questions over Senator Ekwunife’s academic qualifications. The APC deputy governorship candidate responded with sharp criticisms, prompting the governor’s wife to step into the feud.