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Northern APC Stakeholders Reject Badaru, Others Hail New Criteria for Appointments
Some stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in the North under the banner of Northern Progressives Union (NPU) have outrightly rejected any attempt by the immediate past Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru to smuggle himself as the ministerial nominee of the party from the northern states.
In a statement signed on behalf of the group by Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim Kiyawa, the group appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resist the temptation of appointing any of the immediate past state governors in his soon to be constituted cabinet as a ministerial nominees based on the fact that they are all spent forces, failed politicians and disgruntled so-called leaders who don’t fit into today’s reality of the present vision of the Renewed Hope mantra of the present administration.
“We are the foot soldiers of the APC in this part of the country and therefore making a categorical statement urging Mr. President and the APC as a political party not entertain the idea of nominating any of the former Governors from the region in the incoming cabinet “as they do not have the required capacities and capabilities to drive the process.
“Our demand is legitimate and is consequent upon the misdeeds of some of them during the 2023 general elections where most were moles and fifth columnists used by the opposition parties and in most cases funds given to them for elections were personalized and kept for self-serving purposes”.
“While President Tinubu was mobilizing at all levels, the former Governor seeking ministerial nomination could not deliver votes from his area”.
According to them, Jigawa,
Yobe and Zamfara states can be adjudged among the least politically astute states in the northern Nigeria and thus they are most likely to move in line with the body language of their key leaders that they identify with and not necessarily any other factor.
“In Jigawa State 2023 presidential election, the Hadeijia Emirate consisting of Birniwa, Kirikasamma, Guri, Hadejia, Malam Madori, Kaugama, Auyo and Kafin Hausa local governments, massively voted for APC owing to the fact that one of them was made APC governorship candidate for the first time ever since the creation of the state, the votes were not necessarily due to any funds disbursed by the former Governor. In the first place, the Governor never disbursed any money; the truth is that for some of us on the ground, it was found out that People’s Democratic Party outspent APC, thus the reason for PDP gathering some considerable votes otherwise. It should have been landslide for APC because of the zoning arrangement in favour of the governorship candidate of our great party as stated.
The PDP had a very good show in the Gumel Emirate comprising Gumel, Maigatari, Sule Tankarkar local governments, this again may be due to those places being traditionally PDP apologists and perhaps APC’s non-mobilization of the appropriate resources, the group stated.
“APC did very well in the Ringim Emirate consisting of Ringim, Garki, Taura, Gagarawa owing to the philanthropy of a man called Gerawa who’s arguably the biggest entrepreneur in the state and the biggest investor in the politics of the state”.
“As for Kazaure zone which is the governor’s zone, it was more of even between the two parties, again it may be due to lack of necessary goodwill and lack of appropriate resources. The local governments include: Babura, Kazaure, Gwiwa, Roni, Yankwashi”.
The group posited that Dutse Emirate was majorly PDP owing to it being Sule Lamido’s zone as well as perhaps passing a vote of no confidence on Governor Badaru whom they didn’t really support throughout his tenure. The local government areas include: Dutse, Gwaram, Buji, Kiyawa, Miga, Birnin Kudu and Jahun. PDP won Dutse, Birnin Kudu and Gwaram with wide margins while the places that APC won in the other areas were a slim margin.
“That it amounts to injustice and morally unjustifiable on the part of anyone to smuggle the former governor as the representative of the state in the federal cabinet”.
“We whole-heartedly align with the new policy of Mr. President as announced by Mr. Dele Alake, Special Adviser to the President on Stategy and Communication stating that anyone seeking a federal appointment must attach a copy of his voter’s card and results of his polling unit during the elections.
“We commend such a wonderful criterion in other to checkmate desperate politicians seeking to reap where they did not sow and failed politicians who go about grandstanding without doing anything for their people nor have the support of the grassroots”.
“That it is inconceivable, unimaginable, irreconciliable and unacceptable that in this era of “Renewed Hope” some members of the old order are trying to pollute the agenda with their continued presence in the system when they are supposed to retire and watch from the sidelines for the new and young breed to give Nigerians a new lease of life. There is need to tackle this anomaly and quickly too in the interest of the Nigerian people.
“Therefore, we have resolved to constitute ourselves as the vanguard and agenda setter that would monitor and ensure the new cabinet is devoid of old order syndicate vaunting to use their money to buy their way into the cabinet. We shall resist them for our own good and that of the generation yet unborn.
“We are going to institute a legal action to stop them making to the new cabinet. While it is the turn of the new breed in the block, it is turn of the immediate past class of 2015-2023 Governors, Ministers and other political office holders to take the back seat and allow patriotic citizens with fresh blood and ideas to contribute their own quota in the process of nation building in a government progressive, promising and performing administration geared towards changing the narrative for the betterment of Nigerians and the socio-economic development of the country.
The Zamfara Elders Forum has accused Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal of orchestrating a politically motivated campaign against nine elected members of the state House of Assembly, alleging that he is using the judiciary to suppress their legislative duties.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the forum’s spokesperson, Dr Abdulmumin Kamil Gusau, described the state government’s actions as “disturbing and embarrassing.”
The group claims that Chief Magistrate Halima Jaafar Mikaila issued an arrest order for the lawmakers without prior summons or formal charges, a move they argue undermines the rule of law.
“We are deeply troubled by how the state government is manipulating judicial mechanisms to target constitutionally elected members of the state House of Assembly,” Guasa said.
“These lawmakers are being persecuted for fulfilling their legislative responsibilities and highlighting shortcomings in the executive’s performance in the public interest.”
The forum noted that the affected lawmakers, drawn from both the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), have already lodged a case at the Court of Appeal in Sokoto.
They have also petitioned key authorities, including the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Security Adviser, and the National Assembly, seeking intervention.
Despite these pending legal and formal complaints, the forum alleges that the magistrate court proceeded with the arrest order, which they deem unlawful.
The group has called on Governor Lawal to cease what it describes as harassment and engage in dialogue with the lawmakers to resolve the ongoing crisis amicably.
“The APC will remain steadfast in upholding the law and will not tolerate the politicisation of judicial officers to serve narrow interests,” Gusua stated.
“We stand firmly against any attempts to intimidate lawmakers for raising concerns about the worsening security situation in their constituencies, which the state government has failed to address.”
By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
The Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) has entered into partnership with
Nigeria Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Nasarawa State Chapter, to drive fresh investment options in the State.
With 68,000 hectares, the Dangote’s Nasarawa Sugar Company Limited (NSCL) in Tunga, is considered Nigeria’s biggest Backward Integration Policy (BIP) project in the sugar sector.
Speaking to newsmen, Chairman of the Nigeria Association of Small-Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Nasarawa State Chapter, Nidan Sambo Manasseh, said the 2025 Trade Fair and Exhibition has provided the chance for the Dangote Group and NASSI to consider the numerous business opportunities in the State.
According to Manasseh, “We are actively exploring opportunities to deepen our collaboration with the Dangote Group, particularly in expanding employment programmes through youth and women’s skills acquisition and other vital support services.
“We deeply appreciate the Dangote Group’s invaluable collaboration through financial support and sponsorship of NASSI’s programs. Their contribution has been exceptional, and we are profoundly grateful.”
Continuing, Manasseh said the Nasarawa Trade Fair Exhibition (NASTFE) is a vital catalyst for the State’s economic transformation, adding that the strategic initiative by NASSI directly aligns with Governor Abdullahi Sule’s vision to stimulate investment and unlock significant growth.
He said Nasarawa State’s wealth in mineral resources is a central highlight of NASTFE, adding that the exhibition will showcase how its natural endowment can drive economic growth by encouraging value addition in raw material processing and manufacturing, particularly benefiting Small Scale Industries.
“NASTFE serves as a premier platform to showcase Nasarawa State’s considerable potential, connecting discerning investors with its abundant natural resources and dynamic human capital. Governor Sule’s commitment to a business-enabling environment is evident, with NASTFE designed to effectively communicate this compelling value proposition,” he added.
The chairman of NASSI said its objective is to leverage Nasarawa State’s rich natural resources to fuel economic growth by promoting value addition in raw material processing and manufacturing.
“This focus will enhance economic value, particularly for Small Scale Industries, attract crucial investment, generate employment opportunities, and contribute to poverty reduction,” he said.
A statement from the Dangote Group’s Chief Branding and Communication Officer, Anthony Chiejina, said: “Nasarawa State is central to our overall investment in Nigeria. It is home to Dangote’s Nasarawa Sugar Company Limited (NSCL). The sugar project, when completed, will be one of the biggest sugar investments on the African continent.”
The statement quoted the Senior Special Adviser to the Dangote Group’s President, Fatima Wali Abdurrahman, as saying that: “We are not taking this partnership for granted. Our Strategic Business Units (SBUs) are participating.
According to her, some of the Business Units participating from the Dangote Group are: Dangote Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited (DPAN), Dangote SinoTruck, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Salt (NASCON) and Dangote Cement, among others.”
Mrs. Abdurrahman said the Trade Fair offers the company an opportunity to interact with stakeholders and Nigerians who may want to do business with the company.
She said a special Help Desk will be created for inquiries to enable the company to receive feedback from participants.
She urged participants to visit the company’s pavilion and take advantage of its innovative products.
By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has pledged to intervene in the workers’ loan repayments that were deducted from their salaries but never remitted to the respective banks.
The Governor made this commitment while responding to an appeal by the Sokoto State Chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdullahi Aliyu, who urged the state government to intervene in the matter.
According to the NLC chairperson, many workers who took loans through salary deductions have continued to suffer due to the failure of officials in the previous administration to remit the deductions to the banks.
“Your Excellency, please come to the aid of these people. They have been at a crossroads for years,” Comrade Abdullahi appealed. “We know you to be firm in defending people’s rights. Please apply your popular slogan, in kudi kudi in aiki aiki, to recover the diverted funds.”
Governor Aliyu assured the labour leader and affected workers that his administration will investigate the matter and ensure that the right thing is done .
“This administration prioritizes human rights and will not condone any violations under any guise,” the Governor said. “We are committed to protecting the rights of the weak, the less privileged, and the downtrodden in our state.”
a statement by Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to the governor quoted his principal as appealing to the people of State to continue their support and cooperation with his administration so that they can continue to benefit from the dividends of democracy.
The governor further expressed gratitude for the public’s fervent prayers to his administration and urged them to mentain the tempo.