Politics

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

Published

3 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

2027: NDC Unveils Electoral Committee Members For Primaries

Published

3 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has released list of Electoral Committee Members to Conduct primary election.

The exercise is for State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship and Presidential Primaries across all States in Nigeria and the FCT.

This was contained in a statement posted on its verified X handle on Thursday.

The party had provided updates concerning its upcoming Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship, and State Assembly primaries.

According to the party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas,
and Barr. Ikenna Alex-Morgan Enekweizu, National Secretary, the primaries are confirmed to take place across the nation on May 29, 2026, adhering to the previously established timetable of May 28 and 29.

Politics

APC: Fubara Has Been Treated Badly, It’s Dangerous For Tinubu – Otubanjo

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The director of research at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Femi Otubanjo, has said the treatment of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in the just concluded All Progressives Congress’, APC, primary poses political danger to President Bola Tinubu.

Otubanjo stated this on Thursday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he also criticised the role being played by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in the political affairs of Rivers State and the All Progressives Congress.

According to him, the handling of Fubara’s political crisis remains one of the most surprising developments in Nigeria’s political landscape.

Otubanjo further argued that Wike, who is not a member of the APC, appears to be dictating political activities within the ruling party in Rivers State.The research director warned that the current political arrangement in Rivers State could negatively affect Tinubu politically, insisting that Wike was pursuing his personal agenda rather than that of the president.

He said: “The treatment of Fubara must be one of the American wonders of Nigerian politics. Fubara has been badly treated. We have a situation in which Nyesom Wike who is not even in the APC is taking the primary decision in the APC. I hope the tactical team of President Bola Tinubu is not sleeping.

“The reality is that what they have done is very dangerous for Tinubu. What has emerged in Rivers today is that Wike is pursuing his own agenda, not Tinubu’s agenda inspite of PBAT and all of that combination.”

“If Wike really wants to pursue Tinubu’s agenda, he must retain Fubara.”

Politics

In Defence Of Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe: The Generational Shift Reshaping Edo Politics

Published

23 hours ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

By DAN Osa-Ogbegie

For decades, Edo politics remained trapped within a narrow and predictable cycle of political recycling. The same ageing actors moved endlessly from one office to another, from one administration to the next, and from one political alignment to another, as though leadership in Edo State had become the exclusive inheritance of a permanent political aristocracy.

Meanwhile, thousands of intelligent, energetic, and capable young Edo people watched helplessly from the margins while opportunities for leadership, governance, party administration, and public service remained tightly controlled by individuals whose political relevance dated back several decades.

That unhealthy political culture is now gradually changing.

Today, one of the most important political transformations taking place within the All Progressives Congress in Edo State is the deliberate transition from recycled political gerontocracy to a younger generation of political actors. That transition is unfolding under the leadership of Senator Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State and Leader of the APC in Edo State, together with the State Chairman of the party, Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe.

Predictably, such a shift has unsettled entrenched interests.

Those who became accustomed to monopolising political relevance naturally feel threatened by the emergence of a younger generation that is increasingly assertive, visible, influential, and institutionally empowered. Yet, history teaches a simple lesson: no political structure survives indefinitely without renewal.

No serious political party can continue recycling the same exhausted political machinery forever while expecting innovation, grassroots energy, modern governance ideas, and long-term political sustainability.

That reality appears to be clearly understood by Governor Monday Okpebholo and Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe.

Much of the criticism unfairly directed at Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe in recent times stems from the fact that he has become one of the visible faces of this generational transition within Edo APC. Beneath the noise, propaganda, and political bitterness lies an undeniable truth: the party is consciously opening spaces for younger people in ways not seen for many years.

From the youthful Deputy Chairman of APC in Edo State, Sylvester Aigboboh, to several younger commissioners, Special Advisers, members of the State Executive Council, board chairmen, local government administrators, and strategic appointees across government, the evidence of deliberate political renewal is becoming increasingly impossible to ignore.

In Uhunmwode Local Government Area, Hon. Austin Imafidon has emerged as one of the young faces of focused governance and grassroots administration. Beyond politics, he has already established himself successfully in business, bringing into governance the mindset of productivity, enterprise, and modern administrative engagement.

In Etsako, Hon. Sunny Ekpeson has continued to attract national attention as the youngest ALGON Chairman in Nigeria, representing a clear departure from the era where local government leadership was treated as the permanent preserve of ageing political operators disconnected from younger demographics.

In Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Hon. Eric Osawaru represents another example of the younger political generation now entrusted with leadership responsibilities, while in Oredo Local Government Area, Engr. Gabriel Iduseri equally reflects the growing confidence being reposed in younger administrators within the APC structure.

In Owan, Hon. Aitalegbe Ernest, popularly known as “China Boy,” has also emerged as one of the prominent young political figures gaining traction as the incoming Chairman of the local government, further reinforcing the expanding generational transition currently taking shape across Edo State.

The same pattern is visible across government institutions and strategic agencies.

Pastor Stanley Dave Ighodaro, a successful entrepreneur with thriving business interests in Europe, now heads the Edo State Parks and Gardens Agency. His emergence reflects an increasingly important shift towards bringing professionally exposed and globally minded younger individuals into governance and public administration.

Similarly, Kassim Otono, who serves as Special Adviser on Oil and Gas to the Executive Governor of Edo State, represents another example of younger technocratic involvement within the present administration. His inclusion within such a strategic sector underscores the growing confidence being placed in younger professionals and politically aware technocrats within government.

This is how enduring institutions are built.

A political party that refuses to regenerate itself eventually becomes intellectually stagnant, structurally weak, and electorally disconnected from evolving social realities.

Governor Monday Okpebholo deserves commendation for recognising that governance in a rapidly changing society cannot remain permanently tied to political methods and leadership assumptions developed several decades ago. Contemporary governance demands adaptability, technological awareness, stronger grassroots engagement, administrative energy, and a deeper connection with younger populations.

Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe equally deserves credit for helping stabilise the party while managing this difficult but necessary transition process. Generational shifts are never easy within political systems historically dominated by established interests. Resistance is inevitable. Political resentment is expected. Internal anxieties naturally emerge whenever old monopolies begin to weaken.

Leadership, however, requires courage.

The recently concluded primaries further revealed this evolving direction within the APC. The emergence of candidates such as Rt. Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Osazee Igbinovia, Dr. Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, Omosede Igbinedion, Sir Lucky Eseigbe, and Odianosen Okojie reflects a growing political philosophy that increasingly values capacity, grassroots relevance, contemporary appeal, and generational continuity.

Equally symbolic is the emergence of several young Acting Local Government Council Chairmen who are now candidates of the party in the forthcoming local government elections. That development sends a powerful message across Edo State that political participation is gradually becoming more accessible to younger people with competence, commitment, and organisational value.

For too long, many young people in Edo politics were reduced to political spectators, social media defenders, praise singers, or election-day foot soldiers while actual power remained tightly guarded elsewhere. Such a model was never sustainable.

A society that continuously sidelines its younger generation ultimately weakens its own political future.

The ongoing transition within Edo APC does not amount to hostility towards elders or experienced political actors. Experience remains valuable. Elder statesmen still possess institutional memory and political wisdom that younger actors can benefit from immensely. Mentorship, however, must never become political suffocation. Guidance must never evolve into permanent political domination.

Every generation deserves the opportunity to participate meaningfully in shaping the future it will eventually inherit.

That is precisely why the current direction of the APC leadership in Edo State deserves objective acknowledgement rather than emotional hostility.

Many of those attacking Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe today are not truly angry about party administration. Their deeper discomfort arises from the reality that political influence is gradually shifting away from old centres of control towards a newer generation of actors who may no longer depend entirely on traditional political gatekeepers for relevance or survival.

Societies evolve.

Political cultures evolve.

Leadership itself evolves.

No generation owns political power forever.

Ultimately, the future of Edo State cannot be built exclusively around recycled political veterans whose greatest political moments belong largely to the past. A forward-looking society must continuously create room for younger leadership, newer ideas, fresh administrative energy, and modern political thinking.

That future is already unfolding within the APC in Edo State.

History may eventually remember Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe and Governor Monday Okpebholo as central figures in the difficult but necessary political transition that began moving Edo away from recycled political dominance towards a broader and younger leadership culture capable of preparing the state for a different era.

Daniel Aroren Noah Osa-Ogbegie is a Benin based legal practitioner and public intellectual from Uhunmwode Local Government Area.