Politics

Protesters Storm APC Secretariat, Demand National Women Leader’s Resignation

Published

1 year ago

May 31, 2024

Scores of female protesters stormed the headquarters of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja on Friday to demand the resignation of the National Women Leader, Dr Mary Alile-Idele.

Alile-Idele was accused of negligence, pursuit of personal interests, and alleged diversion of some parts of the 24,000 wrappers donated by the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, and her delegation when they visited the party secretariat.

Singing solidarity songs and displaying several banners that read, ‘Enough is Enough!’ ‘Mary Alile Resign Now’ and ‘APC Women Leader Must Go,’ the aggrieved women appealed to the First Lady and the National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, to remove her for continually undermining female members of the party.

Alile-Idele became the substantive national women leader after her predecessor, Dr. Betta Edu, was appointed Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (now suspended) by President Bola Tinubu.

The agitation for her removal comes barely two weeks ago when the First Lady, who was represented by Hajia Nana, the wife of Vice President Kashim Shettima, presented bales of wrappers to Alile and her state women leaders following their outcry the previous week that they had been abandoned by the president despite their contribution to his election victory.

After the donation, Ganduje warned that the women leaders should distribute the fabrics judiciously.

But the protesters led by the Coordinator of ‘Concerned APC Women’, Rebecca Sheneni, told journalists on Friday that it was as if the APC national chairman had a premonition of what would happen, alleging that only 9,000 of the 24,000 fabrics were shared.

The North Central APC member also alleged that rather than pursue a common cause for their benefit, the national women leader has been junketing all over the country promoting the agenda of a pet project in her non-governmental organisation.

She said, “We, the Concerned APC Women Group, an umbrella body for all female members of the governing APC, deem it necessary and imperative to demand the immediate resignation of Mrs Mary Alile-Idele, the National Women Leader of our party.

“We are concerned that since assuming office, Mrs Mary Alile-Idele has displayed incompetence in her role. She appears to be more focused on promoting her Non-Governmental Organisation rather than the party. This is evident in her recent travels to various states to inaugurate her NGO’s executives, instead of promoting the agenda and manifesto of our party to Nigerian women.

“Furthermore, Her Excellency the First Lady provided her with over 24,000 wrappers to distribute to Women leaders and party members, but she only distributed less than 9,000. Where are the rest? We wonder how a UK-based person with no political experience and no record of membership in our party could be considered for this exalted position.

“She prioritises her personal interests over those of the APC, leading to the nomination of her husband for appointment as a member of the University of Port Harcourt Governing Council and various party assignments.

“Considering her numerous misdeeds and misconduct, we call for her immediate removal from the position of the APC. She has demonstrated a high level of incompetence and we have had enough.”

Efforts to get the APC national women leader to react to the allegations proved abortive.

As of the time of filing this story, she has not picked up calls or responded to the SMS and WhatsApp messages sent for clarification.

However, the women leader for Imo State, Mrs Patricia Okuebor-Benson, rose to her defence, saying the allegations were not true.

According to her, virtually all their members across the various states have received their fabrics.

She said, “I am just hearing of this now because nobody told me before. As I speak, the 36 state women leaders and the FCT are in Abuja having a meeting and nobody has accused anybody of anything.

“We don’t know where these women are getting their stories from. I believe every state has received its fabrics. I really don’t know what they are talking about. I think somebody is sponsoring them.”

When contacted, a former lawmaker and women leader in Lagos, Jumoke Okoya-Thomas, declined comment, saying she wasn’t aware of the development and couldn’t speak for any of her principals.

“As you can see, I am not in Abuja. I am in Lagos because there is a very important programme that I have to attend. So there is nothing I can say about it,” she pleaded.

PUNCH

Politics

Agege LG Chairman Resigns

Published

2 days ago

November 5, 2025

Editor

Agege Local Government
Mr. Tunde Azeez Disco has stepped down as the Executive Chairman of Agege Local Government, citing persistent health challenges as the reason for his resignation.

The former chairman submitted his resignation letter to the Agege Local Government Legislative Arm.

He noted that his health status had significantly impacted his ability to effectively discharge his official duties.

The legislative house, while acknowledging Azeez Disco’s dedication to public service, quickly accepted the decision. Following a thorough deliberation, a unanimous resolution was passed, accepting the resignation with immediate effect.

The council wished the outgoing chairman well in his future endeavours, with the event underlining the necessity for public officials to prioritise personal health and well-being.

Ganiyu Obasa, son of the Speaker, Lagos State Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, is the Vice chairman of Agege Local Government.

In May, residents of Agege, under the banner of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the local government election in Agege.

They claimed that Obasa allegedly plans to foist his surrogates as candidates in the local government and councillorship elections.

In a meeting held in response to the announcement of candidates for the chairmanship and vice-chairmanship of the Agege Local Government and Orile-Agege Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the aggrieved residents alleged that those shortlisted as candidates to represent the area were handpicked by Obasa.

They said the process was void of internal democracy and collective participation.

Addressing the media, Kamardeen Sabitu, chairman of the PCC for Agege and Orile-Agege, alleged that Obasa did everything possible to manipulate the political structure in the area for personal gain.

During the protest, demonstrators carried placards reading “Red Card, Obasa O to ge, (it is enough). They also chanted songs such as “Enough is Enough, this suffering is enough, Tinubu, rescue us.”

Politics

JUST IN: Reps In Rowdy Session, Reject Key Motions

Published

3 days ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

The plenary session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday turned rowdy after members voted against some motions of urgent public importance, which bordered on the protection of lives and key government assets.

With the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, presiding, the session became rowdy, as members dissolved into a closed-door session to restore order.

It all started when the member representing Somolu Federal Constituency, Lagos State, Ademorin Kuye, drew the attention of his colleagues to what he called the illegal allocation of lands within the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and prayed the House to refer the matter to the Committee on Public Assets for investigation.

Kuye, a member of the All Progressives Congress is the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Assets.

Proposing an amendment to the prayers, Delta lawmaker and Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Francis Waive, argued that though the matter brought before the Green Chamber is urgent enough, the Committee on Commerce, not Public Assets, should be in charge of the investigation.

Waive was supported by Akwa Ibom lawmaker, Mark Esset, who argued that “It is the Committee on Commerce that should take responsibility on this matter.”

On the other hand, Yusuf Gagdi representing Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Plateau State, supported Kuye, stating that the Public Assets Committee should be allowed to take charge of investigating the allegation of illegal land sale and submit a report to the House.

With no end to the back-and-forth argument in sight, Gbefwi Gaza (SDP, Nasarawa) on the advice of Kalu, proposed the constitution of an Ad-hoc Committee comprising members of both Committees (Public Assets and Commerce) to conduct the probe.

When subjected to a voice vote, almost an equal number of lawmakers voted in support and against the motion.

Not sure whose voices were louder, Kalu gave it to the nays, sparking unrest in the chamber.

Next on the order of urgent motions was Mohammed Bio representing Baruten/Kaima Federal Constituency, Kwara State.

Bio who lamented the worsening security situation in his constituency, prayed the House to urge the military to establish a base in the crisis-prone areas to stem the tides of attacks.

This time, more lawmakers voted against the motion, to the surprise of Kalu and the Kwara lawmaker.

It became clear to Kalu that members had resolved to frustrate the day’s session owing to the rejection of Kuye’s motion.

So, when again voices thundered against Ayodeji Alao-Akala’s motion which drew members’ attention to the need to address Nigeria’s description as a “Country of Particular Concern” by the United States President, Mr Donald Trump; Kalu allowed the motion to pass, forcing members to openly oppose the decision.

Voices of dissent rent the chambers and the plenary was suspended for a closed-door session.

…Details later

Politics

Obaseki’s Media Aide Tackles Edo Information Commissioner Over Alleged ₦600bn Debt

Published

3 days ago

November 4, 2025

Editor

A former Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has denied leaving a debt of N600bn, urging the Monday Okpehbolo-led administration to crosscheck from the Debt Management Office (DMO) before “spewing lies.”

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, had on Monday in Benin claimed that the immediate past administration in the state left a whooping ₦600bn debt.

Reacting to Afegbua’s claim via video call on Tuesday, Obaseki’s Media Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, challenged the current administration in the state to visit the DMO to see whether Edo drew such debt.

Crusoe, who said no government at whatever level has capacity to draw loans or enter into any debt arrangement without the knowledge and approval of the DMO, said lies being spewed by the Okpebholo’s administration is giving the country a bad image.

He said information of such gives the impression that the state is being governed by people who don’t understand what it means to run a government.

Crusoe described the claim as false and outrightly out of place.

On the planned probe of Mosium of West Africa Arts (MOWA), Crusoe noted that MOWA remained an international brand that entered into a business agreement with Edo State with all T’s crossed and all I’s dotted.

He insisted that every record about the transaction between Radisson Hotel and the Edo State government was contained in the transition report.

He said: “MOWA is an international investment drawing funds from the German government, the United Kingdom’s government, and the French government for its development. You think such an investment will be put on a land that was not ceded to that organization by the state.

“These people just come out there and toss all kinds of irresponsible information out there. At the end of the day what happens is that all of these turn around to form the intelligence that gathered out of Nigeria by the international community.

“It makes these countries think that the country is a failed state and the place is not being governed.”