Politics

NASS Principal Officers: Adamu Runs Into Stormy Waters, Maybe Be Removed

Published

2 years ago

July 6, 2023

Following his disapproval of the principal officers of the National Assembly announced by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Tuesday, there are strong indications that the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, is facing a battle to remain the party’s chairman.

Multiple sources told Vanguard that Adamu’s disowning of the principal officers named by Akpabio and Abbas is among the factors that may lead to his ouster as chairman.

Vanguard also gathered that Adamu’s position on the principal officers was considered a defiance of President Bola Tinubu’s wishes, as the National Assembly leadership reportedly got the support of the presidency before making announcing the officers.

Senate President, Akpabio announced Senators Opeyemi Bamidele, Dave Umahi, Ali Ndume and Lola Ashiru as Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, Chief Whip and Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate respectively.

Similarly, Abbas named Julius Ihonvbere and Kingsley Chinda as the majority leader and minority leader respectively in the House of Representatives. They both represent the APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Peeved at the development, the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee, NWC, of the APC immediately disowned the announcement, saying the party had not officially communicated with both presiding officers of the national legislature.

While addressing APC governors on Tuesday, Adamu said it is the party’s responsibility to communicate such decisions to the assembly leadership, saying the NWC under him was not about to break away from tradition.

He said: “The essence of today’s invitation is simply to rub minds with you as a matter of courtesy. You will get an update on the National Assembly, sharing of powers, particularly the leadership of the chambers.

“The election of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President; the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives have been determined and they have now assumed their responsibilities.

“The remaining offices at the two chambers are yet to be done. I had a courtesy call on Saturday from the President of the Senate and his deputy. The following day which was Sunday, I received a visit from the Speaker and his deputy coming to me for Sallah’s homage.

“But I am just hearing rumours now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives. The national headquarters of the party or the NWC has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of the remaining offices and until we formally resolve and communicate to them in writing which is the normal practice as had been done before we came here, it is not our intention to break away from tradition.

“So, whatever announcement is done either by the President of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker, is not from this secretariat.”

APC govs Wade in Vanguard learned that the governors, who spoke at the meeting, cautioned Adamu to be more diplomatic in his approach to issues.

“While he was speaking, we noticed the chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, was trying to signal him to stop and leave the matter for the closed-door session but Adamu still went ahead to say his mind”, said a source at the Tuesday meeting.

“When it was Governor Uzodinma’s turn to speak, he sounded conciliatory and appealed to Adamu to try and ensure that there was no crisis,” the source added.

Also, it was gathered that Governor Umar Bago of Niger State did not mince words in faulting Adamu’s position.

A party source, who spoke in confidence, said: “Bago was very direct. He told Adamu that it was wrong of him to have spoken the way he spoke and that the principal officers of the National Assembly emerged after wide consultations with relevant stakeholders.

“Also, Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni observed that it was as if stakeholders of the party were all working at cross-purposes. He expressed concerns that even the NWC appeared constantly divided. He, therefore, pleaded with Adamu to seal all cracks and ensure that everyone is on the same page.”

Presidency to move against Adamu

Following Adamu’s disapproval of the principal officers, sources hinted to Vanguard that the APC chairman may have bitten more than he can chew.

It was gathered that the President is currently shopping for Adamu’s replacement and will make his position known when the party holds its National Executive Committee, NEC, on July 11.

3 NWC members ditch Adamu

Meanwhile, three members of the APC NWC, yesterday, distanced themselves from utterances made by the APC national chairman disclaiming the appointment of principal officers for the National Assembly.

The three NWC members, who spoke on conditions of anonymity, pointed out that during the meeting, many governors who spoke on the issue cautioned the chairman and urged him to reach out to the leadership of the National Assembly and resolve the matter amicably.

One of the NWC members said: “It was unanimously believed at the meeting that the emergence of leaders of the two chambers of the National Assembly is with the blessing of the President.”

The NWC members said they were worried that it appeared that the national chairman had made up his mind not to work harmoniously with President Bola Tinubu.

They, therefore, distanced themselves and the NWC from actions which they said clearly undermined the smooth take-off of the APC-led Federal Government.

Adamu may be removed from office soon

Another source, who disclosed that the party chairman might be shown the way out, said: “Everything happening is just shrouded in secrecy. In fact, those in the inner caucus are not aware of what is happening.

‘’He is also shutting the party out of the whole thing. Look at the National Chairman of the APC, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, complaining about Opeyemi Bamidele and other principal officers of the National Assembly.

“Barring any last-minute change, I think Adamu may be removed from office soon because if you look at it, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State indirectly countered him.

“Maybe he knows he will be shown the way out and that is why he is coming out. If you look at it, most of the principal officers are Tinubu’s men.

“Someone told me that Adamu will be removed very soon as APC chairman because he should not have said what he said. He should just have made a phone call to get clarification. Perhaps, he had some candidates he was pushing forward.”

The source, however, went down memory lane to explain how the president, when he was governor, silenced those opposed to him.

He said: “It is like there is a crisis in the party and if you look at it well, Tinubu does not like anyone confronting him. When he was in Lagos as governor, he did not like any dissenting opinion.

‘’If you remember, he removed Senator Bucknor Akerele as his deputy and Femi Pedro, who replaced her, was also removed a few months before the end of his tenure. Also, remember that Prince Ogunleye was deputy governor of Lagos for some weeks.

“From what he (Adamu) said, he will be removed. Also, don’t forget that Adamu never wanted Tinubu to be the presidential candidate of the APC in the first place.

“When he will be removed, I don’t know but he will be shown the way out. Adams Oshiomhole, who was a strong APC chairman, was removed.”

VANGUARD

Politics

Probe Natasha’s Allegations Against Akpabio, Afenifere Urges FG

Published

10 hours 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

1 day 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

1 day 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.