Politics
APC Finances: Adamu Running One-Man Show, Lukman Knocks Party Chair
The National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (North-West), Malam Salihu Lukman, has yet again knocked the National Chairman of the ruling party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, of singlehandedly taking decisions at the expense of the National Working Committee.
This is even as he revealed that Adamu has repeatedly evaded giving an up-to-date account of the party’s purse including the undisclosed billions of naira raised from the sales of nomination and expression of interest forms to aspiring contestants at the just concluded 2023 general elections.
The latest indictment is coming on the heel of a similar claim Lukman made before the APC Convention last year when he accused Adamu of failing to carry the NWC members along in decision-making.
Piqued by recent development in the administration of the party national secretariat, the Kaduna politician raised an alarm that he had uncovered some anomalies, which he considered as ‘very shocking.’
In a leaked letter dated May 27, 2022, and titled ‘Rebuilding APC: Need for new initiatives,’ the NWC member warned that the leadership of the National Working Committee could “snowball” into oblivion like the previous administrations of Adams Oshiomhole and Mai Mala Buni.
The letter, which was addressed directly to the chairman, also copied the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.); Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; Speaker House of Representative, Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief Bisi Akande, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu and all the NWC members.
One year after the drama, the same Lukman again indicted Adamu of reducing the NWC members to a mere rubber stamp to approve important decision he singlehandedly took.
In his statement titled “APC and Questions of Progressive Credentials,” which was issued in Abuja on Monday, the former Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum noted that aside from failing to render the state of the party account in the last one year, it is common knowledge that APC staff at the secretariat are hired and fired at will by the national chairman without recourse to any organ, including the NWC.
He said, “As a member of the NWC, I can say without fear of contradiction, all decisions bordering on managing the finances of the party are being taken by the National Chairman, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu and the National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore. Most members of NWC are reduced to onlookers or at best rubber stamp. All appeals for accountability have fallen on deaf ears. The decision of the NWC to convene the NEC meeting in August last year was simply sabotaged.
“Yet, it is public knowledge that the party has earned billions of Naira in revenue from sales of forms to aspiring contestants for the 2023 general elections. We are yet to, as NWC, declare to any organ of the party how much we inherited from His Excellency Mai Mala-led Caretaker Committee and how much was received as donations and contributions for the 2023 elections. Large-scale expenditure, which include the renovation of the National Secretariat complex are being undertaken without any organ of the party exercising the powers of due diligence.
“Once the party’s constitution is no longer the guide for managing the affairs of the party, discretionary decisions of leaders take over. Consequently, even what get paid to party officials and organs becomes acts of benevolence by the National Chairman or anyone he delegates. As a result, something as fundamental as the decision on what proportion of the party’s income is paid to States, Local Governments and Wards is exercised solely by the National Chairman and National Secretary. Party staff are hired and fired by the National Chairman and National Secretary without report to any organ, including the NWC.
“Given all these, there are embarrassing reports of party members who served in Screening, Primary and Appeals Committees for the 2023 elections yet to be paid their allowances. There was also the case of aspiring contestants for party offices during the March 28, 2022, National Convention who voluntarily stepped down in the spirit of facilitating consensus and therefore entitled for refunds of the cost of their nomination forms who are yet to be paid.”
Lukman’s alarm is coming one month after a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Yekini Nabena, called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission to investigate the alleged financial impropriety and fund mismanagement rocking the ruling party.
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, the former APC deputy spokesman also appealed to the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, to dissolve the current NWC, adding that none of the current members deserves to be retained.
When the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka, was called for a reaction, he declined to comment.
“I have nothing to say on it. You, people, are at liberty to report whatever you want to write on anything concerning it,” he said before cutting the line.
The APC Director of Media and Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, could also not be reached.
As of the time of filing this report, he did not return the calls of our correspondent nor replied to the sms sent.
SOURCES: PUNCH
…Says your defection must be transformative
Ned Nwoko, the senator representing Delta north, has asked Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta state, to leave behind the “old habits” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as he begins a new political journey in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement addressed to the governor following his recent defection, Nwoko warned that the move must not just be symbolic but transformative, urging Oborevwori to “leave behind the politics of survival and step into the politics of legacy”.
“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. Old habits, old politics, and the old deals that led to the gradual decline of the PDP in Delta must be left behind,” Nwoko said.
He praised the governor’s decision to join the APC, describing it as a bold step that opens new possibilities for Delta state and Nigeria’s political future.
The lawmaker noted that the APC, “reenergised and focused,” had already begun laying the groundwork for constitutional amendments, including the creation of Anioma and New Delta states.
“Chief among these is the creation of two new viable states: Anioma and New Delta,” he said.
“Let me remind you, this agenda was declared a done deal by the party leadership long before your defection, a testament to the APC’s commitment to correcting historical imbalances and ending regional marginalisation.”
The senator asked the governor to lead the charge for constitutional reforms and demonstrate renewed dedication to fairness, inclusive development, and progressive governance.
“Your defection must not be symbolic; it must be transformative. This is your opportunity to embrace a new sense of purpose and demonstrate renewed dedication to progressive governance, fairness, and inclusive development,” Nwoko said.
“The creation of Anioma state will finally give voice, identity, and institutional power to the aspirations of Delta North. It is a long overdue recognition of a people who have sought parity with their kinsmen.
“The proposed New Delta will address the deep internal asymmetries within the current Delta state structure. It will empower neglected communities, bring government closer to the people, and unlock new paths for economic growth.
“For the first time, the APC is armed with the numbers to amend the constitution. This time, we can fulfill these promises without demanding painful trade-offs from the South. We are not lobbying from a place of weakness; we are standing firmly in a position of strength.
“These changes are more than political. They are economic necessities. They are about focused governance, better infrastructure, increased federal allocation, and grassroots democracy. Two new states will mean two new engines of development.”
The Lagos Society for Good Governance, a non-partisan civic organisation, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene and halt what it describes as unconstitutional tenure elongation schemes in several Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State.
The group also urged the President to direct the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, to issue clear guidance on constitutional term limits for local government administrations.
In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the group’s coordinator, Ademola Gafar, appealed to President Tinubu to demonstrate moral leadership by rejecting attempts to extend tenures beyond constitutional limits.
“As a leader of our democracy and a true son of Lagos, we urge the President to engage with the leadership of Lagos State to ensure that forthcoming local government elections adhere strictly to constitutional norms and best democratic practices,” Gafar said.
The group highlighted specific cases in three LCDAs where chairpersons are allegedly seeking unconstitutional third terms.
In Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA, Vice Chairman Famuyiwa assumed the chairmanship in 2019 following the death of Chairman Arologun.
He won re-election in 2021, and his current bid for another term is deemed a violation of term limits. Similarly, in Onigbongbo LCDA, Vice Chairman Dotun Adekanye became chairman in 2020 after Chairman Dayo Oke’s death, won re-election in 2021, and died in November 2024.
His successor, the current vice chairman, remains eligible for the 2025 elections but cannot seek further terms. In Ikosi Isheri LCDA, Vice Chairman Abolanle Bada took over in 2020 after Chairman Abdulfatai Oyesanya’s death, won re-election in 2021, and is now pursuing an unconstitutional third term.
The group argued that these actions contravene the Fourth Alteration Bill No. 16 of the 1999 Constitution, signed into law in 2018 by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the group, the amendment limits individuals who succeed to an office following an incumbent’s death to one additional term. This principle, the group noted, extends to local governments under Section 7 of the Constitution, which mandates democratically elected councils.
“Lagos State, as Nigeria’s centre of excellence, must not set dangerous precedents that undermine constitutional governance,” Gafar stated, calling on the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission to implement reforms that strengthen local government autonomy and disqualify candidates seeking unconstitutional terms.
The group praised recent council elections in Ondo, Akwa-Ibom, and northwest states for adhering to electoral laws, resulting in free, fair, and credible outcomes.
The organisation also recalled President Tinubu’s opposition to tenure elongation during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, expressing confidence that he would not support undemocratic practices.
It urged the implicated LCDA chairpersons to withdraw from the electoral contest in recognition of constitutional limits, warning that normalising such violations threatens Nigeria’s democracy.
It vowed to pursue all legal and peaceful means to resist attempts to subvert the constitutional order, reaffirming its commitment to democratic principles and good governance.
Politics
Ned Nwoko Urges Oborevwori to Leave Behind PDP’s Old Ways in His New APC Journey — Emphasizing the Need for Transformative Change
Ned Nwoko, the senator for Delta North, has called on Sheriff Oborevwori, the governor of Delta State, to abandon the “old habits” associated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as he embarks on a new political chapter within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement directed at the governor following his recent defection, Nwoko emphasized that this transition should not merely be a symbolic gesture but rather a transformative process. He urged Oborevwori to “move beyond politics of survival and embrace the politics of legacy.”
“No one pours new wine into old wineskins. It is essential to leave behind outdated practices, old political dynamics, and the arrangements that have contributed to the PDP’s gradual decline in Delta,” Nwoko remarked.
He commended the governor for his decision to join the APC, labeling it as a courageous move that could open up new avenues for both Delta State and the broader political landscape of Nigeria.
The senator pointed out that the APC, now “reenergized and focused,” has already initiated efforts for constitutional amendments, which include the establishment of Anioma and New Delta states.
“Foremost among these initiatives is the creation of two viable new states: Anioma and New Delta,” he stated.
“Let me remind you that this agenda was endorsed by the party leadership long before your defection, highlighting the APC’s commitment to rectifying historical imbalances and addressing regional marginalization.”
Nwoko urged the governor to take the lead in advocating for constitutional reforms, showcasing a renewed commitment to equity, inclusive development, and progressive governance.
“Your defection must transcend mere symbolism; it must be a catalyst for transformation. This is your moment to adopt a renewed sense of purpose and showcase your commitment to progressive governance, equity, and inclusive development,” Nwoko asserted.
“The establishment of Anioma state will finally provide a voice, identity, and institutional power to the aspirations of Delta North, representing a long-overdue acknowledgment of a community seeking parity with its counterparts.
“The proposed New Delta will rectify significant internal disparities within the existing Delta state framework. It will empower marginalized communities, bring government closer to the populace, and pave the way for new economic opportunities.”
“For the first time, the APC possesses the numbers necessary to amend the constitution. This time, we can honor these commitments without imposing burdensome trade-offs on the South. We are not negotiating from a position of weakness; we stand resolutely in a position of strength.
“These proposed changes are not merely political; they are economic imperatives. They concern targeted governance, improved infrastructure, enhanced federal allocations, and grassroots democracy. The creation of two new states will serve as two new engines for development.”