Politics

N’Central APC Members Protest Muslim-Muslim Ticket, Reject Lalong

Published

3 years ago

August 9, 2022

A coalition of Christians under the aegis of North Central Youths and Women Forum, in their number on Tuesday, took to the streets in Abuja to protest against the Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, as the Director-General of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council.

The protesters, who are members of the APC from the six North-Central States and the Federal Capital Territory, also marched to the Presidential Villa to submit a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over the Muslim-Muslim ticket adopted by the APC despite the national outcry.

They carried placards with inscriptions such as ‘Lalong is a Judas, Lalong is a betrayal, Lalong is on his own,’ ‘We say No to DGship, give us our VP slot’, ‘On North Central Christian vice-presidential candidate we stand,” and ‘Dear Asiwaju…keep your DG, give us a Christian VP, all Christians in the APC say no to DGship.’

The leader of the group, Dauda Yakubu, said various indices at play so far within the APC did not suggest that the Christians from northern Nigeria were considered in the party’s affairs.

While describing the appointment of Lalong as an insult to the North-Central region, the stakeholders said they would only accept the position of the Vice President.

He noted that the party had neglected advice from concerned stakeholders by nominating a northern Muslim as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.

According to him, stakeholders in the APC, especially northern Christians, felt humiliated by the actions of the party’s leadership in recent times, which, he said, did not demonstrate ethnic and religious inclusion.

He called on Buhari to clear his role and make his position known on the party’s same faith ticket.

Yakubu said, “We feel the appointment of Governor Lalong as the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Council is an insult to our collective sensibilities as a devoted party faithful in the North-Central.

“Mr. President may wish to remember that in the affairs of the party, the North-Central zone has demonstrated an unalloyed commitment to the growth and development of the party. But what has the North-central received in return?

“We came from far and near to witness first-hand, the news making the rounds that you indeed, sanctioned the Muslim-Muslim ticket of our party. There have also been insinuations that the vice-presidential ticket was not given to a northern Christian because you supported it.

“We know you to be an advocate of unity, ethnic and religious inclusion. But again, we are short of words with the news making the rounds, hence, this open letter in a protest march to hear from you that you were indeed in support of a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

“This is on the heels that as stakeholders of our party, we have consistently advocated for Governor Lalong as the party’s vice-presidential candidate because he possesses all the necessary qualities. But to our dismay, he was appointed as the DG of the Presidential Campaign Council.

“So many questions are left unanswered in our minds regarding the position of the party in the interest of northern Christians. We beg to ask the question that, if a northern Christian is good enough to lead the Presidential Campaign Council, why then is a northern Christian not good enough to be nominated as the vice presidential-candidate of our party?

“It is our considered position that the lines are not connecting for us as stakeholders of the party in the North-Central zone of the country. And consequently, we demand explanations as to why our interests have been jettisoned using a yardstick that defeats common sense.”

Yakubu said the APC was the only party that did not consider the country’s religious sensitivity in the composition of its presidential team, adding that it was not on the strength of a lack of qualified and credible candidates.

While insisting that there was something fundamentally wrong, Yakubu said the forum was convinced beyond doubt that the President could not sanction such a move, going by his antecedents as a unifier and an advocate of peace.

“Your fatherly disposition to all, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliations, has never been in doubt. You have been a great source of strength and support to all, and it is on record that you have treated all in the same manner since you assumed leadership of our great country.

“We know that you can’t be a part of religious exclusion under any circumstances; hence, our presence here in Abuja through this peaceful protest, to hear from you if you support the Muslim-Muslim ticket of our party.

“At this stage, we cannot rely on rumours and hearsay because we know your pedigree as a father and mentor to all party members across the country. Mr President, it is our earnest desire that you, in your fatherly manner,” he stated.

Yakubu asked the APC leadership to convoke an emergency meeting to reflect the wishes and interests of northern Christians in the composition of the presidential team of the party for the 2023 presidential election.

PUNCH

Politics

We May Not Have A Country If APC Retains Power In 2027 – El-Rufa’i Warns

Published

9 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has issued a warning about Nigeria’s future, declaring that the country’s survival is at risk if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wins the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on Saturday, August 2, in Sokoto at a grassroots mobilisation rally for the opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), El-Rufai made clear his intention to campaign vigorously against the ruling party.

“I’m not in politics to get anything for myself. I’m in politics to serve,” he stated.

“When the government does not serve the people, it is my duty as a senior citizen to come out and condemn it and take steps to reverse the situation.

“That is why we come together as people opposed to the policies of this government to form the coalition, which has resulted in the adoption of ADC,” he explained.

El-Rufai, a former key member of the APC, said he is committed to rallying Nigerians across the country to unseat the party, describing it as “incompetent.”

“We are in Sokoto to begin the process of mobilising Nigerians against the APC government anywhere and the federal government in Abuja,” he said.

“I believe that if we allow this party and the government to continue for a second term in office, what remains of Nigeria’s social capital will be destroyed, and we may not have a country at all. This is a fight for our lives.”

El-Rufai was once a founding figure of the APC but left the party in March 2025 to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP) following the Senate’s refusal to confirm his ministerial nomination, reportedly due to security concerns.

However, his time in the SDP was short-lived. The party expelled him and imposed a 30-year ban, citing alleged forgery of membership documents, among other accusations.

Now a leading figure in the opposition ADC, El-Rufa’i joins other prominent politicians in working against the APC ahead of the 2023 polls.

Politics

Opposition Will Collapse In Edo Before 2027, Says Okpebholo

Published

10 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, on Saturday, said there will be a total collapse of the opposition in the state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He stated this during the flag-off of the campaign for the August 16th Senatorial by-election in Edo Central Senatorial District in Uromi.

He urged the candidates of the opposition parties to decamp to the ruling All Progressive Congress and join him in developing the State.

The governor was accompanied by the chairman of APC, Jarrett Tenebe, to receive decampees at the event. He expressed happiness that members of all other political parties are joining APC to ensure that development continues.

The decampees from PDP include Alhaji Esiwele Musa, Abraham Osazuwa, Sunny Ejie, and Robert Okoneme, amongst other PDP leaders across the 51 wards.

He said, “This is a test for 2027. I can tell you that 2027 is sure. Before 2027, there will be no opposition in Edo State anymore as all will join the APC because of the developmental achievements in the state.

“Hon. Joseph Ikpea will take over from me in the Senate. In this election, we will win five local governments out of five. We must win the entire 51 wards in the five local governments that make up the Senatorial District.

“I understand that it is only the candidates in the other parties that have not decamped to our party, the APC. I advise them not to waste their money but to join our party. If they give you money, take it and vote for the APC. The money is our money.

“We promised to give the President 2.5 million votes, and we are ready to deliver on our promises. We will not talk much because the election is a done deal. This is the first test for us as we do not have any opposition in the State anymore,” he said.

In his remarks, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dennis Idahosa, urged Esan people to support Okpebholo as he has brought development to the state due to his relationship with President Bola Tinubu.

He noted that the election is the first step to appreciate the president.

He said, “The President sees our Governor as his son, and the State enjoys the dividends of democracy. This is the first step to appreciate the governor and the president. We would not accept anything less than 90 per cent victory in the election.”

The APC party Chairman, Jarrett Tenebe, who presented the party’s flag to the party’s candidate in the Senatorial by-election, Hon. Joseph Ikpe,a encouraged him to ensure he continues from where the Governor stopped in the Senate.

He noted that the governor, as a Senator, brought development to the Senatorial District.

Presenting the party’s symbol, which is the broom, to decampees at the event, Jarrett Tenebe thanked the governor for duly informing the Chairman of Esan North East Local Government Area about the flag off of the day, saying that it was the right thing to do.

He urged the decampees to join and support the party, and the Governor to ensure the developmental strides continue in Edo State.

The Director General of the Edo Senatorial by-election and former Speaker Edo State House of Assembly, Victor Edoror, commended the people for coming out en masse. He urged them to make sure they keep the spirit of the door-to-door campaign for the candidate of party and the election to ensure victory.

The APC candidate in the Senatorial by-election, Joseph Ikpea, thanked the party for the trust and promised to continue with the developmental strides the Governor brought to the Senatorial District as a Senator.

The APC Edo Central Senatorial leader, Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe (rtd); APC Edo South leader, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; Deputy State Chairman of APC, Sylvester Aigboboh; and other leaders, urged the people to all come out en masse to vote for the APC candidate in the by-election.

Politics

Anambra guber: Soludo Raises Alarm, Alledges Plot By APC To Manipulate Election

Published

17 hours ago

August 3, 2025

Editor

Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the forthcoming November 8, 2025, governorship election in Anambra State.

He also warned candidates from Anambra South vying for the governorship seat against destabilizing the state’s political balance.

The governor made the allegation while speaking at a massive All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) rally held at Ekwulobia Urban Stadium on Saturday. He stated that Anambra is “too big for charlatans” and must not be distracted by what he described as impostors and unserious aspirants.

He vowed that “street urchins won’t govern a state that produced Zik, Nwafor Orizu, Ojukwu, Achebe,” as he rallied party faithful in Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

Soludo dismissed as deceitful the promises made by some candidates to serve only one term, insisting that such individuals require “psychiatric evaluation.”

“Anambra doesn’t need street urchins as governor. This is the state that produced the likes of Zik of Africa, Dr. Nwafor Orizu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and Prof. Chinua Achebe, among others. It is too big for charlatans,” he declared.

He further alleged that some candidates were merely using their campaigns to extort money from unsuspecting businessmen and the public. According to him, the achievements of his administration over the past four years justify his bid for a second term.

In a renewed call for peace, Soludo again offered amnesty to armed groups hiding in the forests, urging them to surrender and embrace rehabilitation or face the full weight of the law.

Visibly impressed by the turnout at the rally, the governor noted that he had not yet officially launched his campaign but was humbled by the support.

He revealed that the rally was entirely organized and funded by party members determined to see him re-elected.

The rally, which took place on August 2, 2025, endorsed Soludo for a second term in office and adopted Chief Emma Nwachukwu as APGA’s candidate for the Anambra South senatorial by-election scheduled for August 16, 2025.

It drew an impressive crowd of party loyalists, traditional rulers, community leaders, and political stakeholders.

Also in attendance were the APGA National Chairman, state and local government executives, and former Deputy Governor, Dame Virgy Etiaba.

In a show of solidarity, APGA stakeholders in Anambra South presented a N100 million donation to support the governor’s campaign. Traditional rulers in the senatorial district also honoured Soludo with the “Olu Atuegwu” chieftaincy title — a title that has already been conferred on him in Anambra North and Central, respectively.