APC

By Uzair Adam

Former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has criticized the Federal Government for assigning the distribution of rice palliatives in Kano to the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, rather than the state government.

Speaking in Kano, Kwankwaso expressed his disappointment, describing the move as a breach of constitutional democracy and an act of excessive partisanship.

“For the past week, I have been in Kano, and I observed with great disappointment the Federal Government’s distribution of rice palliatives to 35 states through their governors, except in Kano.

“Here, the responsibility was handed over to APC members. This is a gross insult to our constitutional democracy and a step too far in partisanship,” Kwankwaso stated.

He urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately address what he called a “derailment of democracy.”

Kwankwaso also raised concerns about the frequent changes in the leadership of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Kano, noting that three State Directors had been posted and reposted in just two weeks.

He warned that the instability was having a negative impact on the state’s security.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

The chairman of the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajiboye Omodewu, has died. Omodewu, who hailed from Otu in Itesiwaju local government, passed away about a year after undergoing treatment for an undisclosed ailment. 

The late APC chairman, who held dual citizenship of Nigeria and the United States, was a former Commissioner under the administration of the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi. He had recently completed his law degree and law school. 

APC Publicity Secretary in Oyo State, Olawale Sadare, confirmed the death of the party’s chairman.

Omodewu’s demise has left a void in the state’s political landscape, as the party will now begin the run to get another chairman.

Senator Ali Ndume, former Senate Chief Whip, has apologised to the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for failing to consult the party before publicly criticizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. 

Ndume, representing Borno South in the National Assembly’s upper chamber, reaffirmed his statements, saying, “Whatever I said or whatever I did was out of patriotism.” 

He explained that he was invited by the party to discuss his actions and accepted the mistake of not consulting the party first.

“I promised the party that all my observations as a senior member of the family should have terminated or ended with the party,” Ndume said. However, he maintained that his criticisms were truthful, even if strong.

“Those issues may be said strong, but they are true… I should have talked to the party as the last bus stop.” 

Ndume’s apology comes after he was invited by the party to discuss his public statements, which were seen as critical of the APC leadership.

Despite apologising for not consulting the party, Ndume remains firm in his convictions and commitments to speaking out for the good of the country.

By Uzair Adam

Nigeria’s main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has urged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government to immediately review its policies, which they claim are “asphyxiating life in the country.”

The Daily Reality reports that the PDP made this call in response to a nationwide protest against the government’s handling of the economy.

The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated that the government’s policies have led to a severe economic downturn, characterized by high inflation, unemployment, and poverty rates.

He criticized the government’s decision to increase fuel prices and float the currency without implementing measures to cushion the effects on citizens.

Ologunagba alleged that the APC government has been arrogant and insensitive to the plight of Nigerians, who are struggling to afford basic necessities like food and cooking oil.

He claimed that over 120 million Nigerians have become destitute and can no longer afford their daily meals and other basic necessities of life, with poverty rates soaring to over 40%.

The PDP accused the APC government of being responsible for the crippling of the productive sector, with the crashing of the Naira to over N1,500 to a Dollar, fuel soaring to over N1,000 per liter, and a high cost of goods and services with over 34% inflation rate and over 40% unemployment rate.

Ologunagba also alleged that APC officials are looting the national treasury to fund their luxurious lifestyles, including acquiring luxury jets, expensive holidays abroad, renovating official residential mansions, and other profligacies, without regard to the feelings and pains of the majority of Nigerians.

Furthermore, the PDP claimed that the APC administration is secretly paying a whopping N5.4 trillion as fuel subsidy for 2024, even after President Tinubu announced an end to fuel subsidy.

The PDP called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to personally address the nation, announce major policy reviews, and order an investigation into the alleged looting of subsidy and palliative funds.

They also urged the President to review all luxury items and purchases in the APC government and channel the resources for immediate intervention in the provision of food and other essential commodities to Nigerians.

The PDP called on Nigerians to remain peaceful and law-abiding in their pursuit of good governance in the country.

By Uzair Adam Imam

A group of youths and women under the Concerned Southern Borno Citizens (CSBCs) has appealed to President Bola Tinubu, the All Progress Congress (APC), and the Senate to reverse the removal of Senator Mohammed Ndume as the Chief Whip of the Senate.

The group, comprising various clubs and associations in Borno State, gathered at the NUJ Press Centre in Maiduguri to show their support for Senator Ndume.

Comrade Bulama Sawa, National Chairman and spokesperson of CSBCs, called on the APC National Working Committee to reconsider its decision to remove Senator Ndume and to rescind the request for him to withdraw from APC membership.

The removal followed Senator Ndume’s comments on Arise TV on July 12, 2024, where he criticized the nation’s issues of hunger and insecurity under President Tinubu’s administration.

This led to his replacement by Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (Borno North) as Deputy Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation.

The group praised President Tinubu for initially recognizing Senator Ndume’s contributions by appointing him as Majority Chief Whip.

They highlighted his positive impact on Southern Borno, including mentoring youths and sponsoring education.

They condemned the APC’s decision and passed a vote of confidence in Ndume, urging President Tinubu to avoid political vendetta and uphold voices speaking the truth.

By Uzair Adam Imam

Former National Vice Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has issued a 16-day ultimatum to the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to convene meetings of various party organs or face legal action.

In a letter dated May 21, 2024, and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lukman requested that the President compel Ganduje to convene meetings of the National Executive Committee (NEC), National Caucus, and the National Advisory Council (also known as the Board of Trustees) within 16 days.

These organs have not met since Ganduje assumed office on August 3, 2023, with only the National Working Committee (NWC) meeting regularly to oversee the party’s day-to-day operations.

The letter was copied to Vice President Kashim Shettima, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum Hope Uzodinma, among others.

Lukman’s ultimatum emphasizes the need for the party’s organs to meet and make crucial decisions, warning of legal action if the meetings are not convened within the specified timeframe.

The letter reads in part, “l am compelled to kindly draw Your Excellency’s attention that as it is, our party is operating almost blindly without recourse to provisions of the APC Constitution. Meetings of organs as specified by relevant provisions of the APC Constitution are not taking place.

“Decisions, which established organs of the party are expected to take, are being taken by individual leaders outside those organs. One of the critical organs, the Board of Trustees, which is renamed National Advisory Council has not been inaugurated since the formation of the APC in July 2013.

“With such reality, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has appropriated the powers of all organs and in its name the National Chairman is taking discretionary decisions.

“With such reality, many of the decisions taken not only violate sections of the APC Constitution but also undermine Sections 221 — 229 of Part Il of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended as well as the Electoral Act 2022.

“I want to kindly demand that every necessary initiative should be started between now May 21, 2024 and June 7, 2024 to activate all organs of the APC in line with the extant provisions of the party’s constitution.

“Failure to do that will compel me as a patriotic Nigerian and loyal party member who has paid his dues to seek legal redress. Democracy is meaningless without functional political parties.”

By Uzair Adam Imam

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has called on the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to establish reconciliation committees to unite party members nationwide.

Speaking at the APC stakeholders’ meeting for the Northwest in Kaduna, the Speaker emphasized the need to reconcile and make peace with aggrieved members, as the party faces internal conflicts in various states.

The Speaker urged Ganduje to constitute reconciliation committees for each state and zone to bring peace and unity to the party, stressing that elections are over, and it’s time for governance.

He also suggested that APC members who perform well should be given the opportunity to return in 2027, citing the high turnover rate of National Assembly members.

Additionally, the Speaker commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving key positions to the Northwest and called on party leaders to support the party structures at all times, not just during elections.

He also mentioned the ongoing constitution amendment by the National Assembly, highlighting areas like state police, local government autonomy, women’s inclusion, and traditional institutions’ roles.

By Lawan Bukar Maigana 

The sagacious former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, is once again in the news with his usual controversial stance on government policies and decisions. 

Last week, after granting journalists an interview about his presentation at a capacity-building training for Borno’s top government officials in Maiduguri, he became the hot story on every national daily, both online and offline. 

According to him, the Nigerian government has reconsidered returning fuel subsidies, mentioning that President Tinubu’s administration secretly pays billions of Naira for fuel subsidies.

As a journalist specialising in fact-checking, I needed to investigate his claim because there were no credibility elements in his statements. I quickly ran a keyword search, and the result revealed that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has refuted the claim and described it as ‘wrong.’

The trouble with El-Rufai started when the Senate withheld his confirmation over security checks during the ministerial screening in August 2023, even though he is a seasoned politician who used to be a minister. 

Since then, he left Nigeria to go abroad, failing to attend his son’s wedding ceremony, Bello Nasir El-Rufai. After his return from abroad, he was seen visiting strong politicians from the opposition party, which was said to be a political plot against the 2027 presidential elections. 

This was justified by his son, Bello El-Rufai, in a podcast interview with Seun of Channels Television, where he mentioned that his father and the President have never been on good terms, citing exchanges of unfriendly remarks in the past.

It is human nature to leave when discomforted or offended; therefore, Malam has the right to not only leave the All Progressive Congress (APC) but also form a new party, let alone merge with cult-like parties like the Labour Party (LP). 

El-Rufai is an outspoken politician whose relevance has passed because he couldn’t deliver his state to the APC, indicating he is now politically weak. It’s clear that politics transcends outspokenness. 

Another trouble facing El-Rufai now is with his successor, Governor Uba Sani. At a town hall meeting, he said that he inherited a huge debt burden of $587m, N85bn, and 115 contractual liabilities from the immediate past administration of Nasir El-Rufai, complaining that the huge debt has eaten deep into the state’s federal allocation. 

This has necessitated the formation of a committee by the Kaduna State House Assembly to probe El-Rufai’s administration, even though he has always proudly challenged the people of Kaduna to uncover any financial wrongdoing by him.

Allegedly, Bello El-Rufai, who proudly identifies himself as a replica and a clone copy of his father in politics, has thrown the public into scepticism regarding his father’s integrity. He was said to have sent insulting words and threats to the Speaker of Kaduna State Assembly, Hon. Yusuf Liman, since the establishment of the committee to probe his father’s administration that drowned Kaduna in debts, amounting to billions of Naira.

If I were El-Rufai’s son, Bello, I would appreciate the Kaduna State Government’s efforts to uphold justice and accountability in the state. I would privately intervene respectfully, if necessary, without being jittery about the outcome of the investigation.

Lawan Bukar Maigana writes from Maiduguri and can be reached via lawanbukarmaigana@gmail.com.

By Uzair Adam Imam  

The High Court of Kano State has upheld the suspension of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a member of the party.  

Presided over by Justice Usman Malam Na’abba, the court affirmed the suspension on Tuesday, responding to an ex parte motion filed by Dr. Ibrahim Sa’ad, Esq.  

The motion was brought on behalf of two executive members of APC Ganduje ward in Dawakin-Tofa local government area: assistant secretary Laminu Sani and legal adviser Haladu Gwanjo, who were among the nine ward executives that initiated Ganduje’s suspension two days prior. 

The court’s decision followed an ex parte motion filed by Haladu Gwanjo and Laminu Sani through their counsel, Ibrahim Sa’ad.  

Gwanjo, identifying himself as the party’s ward legal adviser, had announced Ganduje’s suspension earlier. 

Consequently, the court ordered Ganduje to refrain from presiding over any affairs of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC.  

This ruling came after the State Working Committee of the APC in Kano suspended ward party leaders who had initially announced Ganduje’s suspension. 

Previously, the leadership of the APC at Ganduje ward in Dawkin Tofa Local Government area had announced Ganduje’s suspension, citing corruption charges filed against him by the government.  

However, Inusa Suleiman Dawanau, the APC Chairman in Dawakin Tofa Local Government, revealed that those behind the suspension were engaged in anti-party activities and had been exposed for their meetings with the ruling opposition. 

In addition to the suspension, the State Working Committee (SWC) sanctioned them for six months and established a panel to investigate various allegations against them.  

Following these developments, the ruling party petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, urging the force to investigate those responsible for Ganduje’s purported suspension.

By Sabiu Abdullahi 

Sixteen ex-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers in Plateau State, ousted by the Court of Appeal in November 2023, plan to defy the court ruling and return to legislative duties.

Despite having their election nullified over party structure issues, they argue that the recent Supreme Court judgement, validating Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s election, supports their claim as authentic members. 

Led by Ishaku Maren, the former majority leader, they stress their commitment to democracy and assert their constituents’ unwavering support.

The lawmakers are set to resume today, raising concerns from the APC and warning against potential legislative and security implications in Plateau State.

This is coming as observers await developments and reactions to this audacious move by the former lawmakers.