Politics
Northern Group Slams Opposition Over Attacks On Tinubu, Gbajabiamila
A socio-political group in the North, Northern Alternative Forum (NAF), has responded to recent reports in the media criticising the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Mallam Gidado Ibrahim, the group popularly referred to as the Northern Mafias, expressed strong disapproval of what he called “baseless attacks” on the president and his chief of staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Ibrahim described a recent report on the front page of the Monday, September 2, 2024 edition of Daily Trust, alleging illegal oversight visits by Gbajabiamila as “preposterous, malicious, crude, and in bad taste.”
He accused authors of the report of seeking to discredit the government and undermine its efforts to address the country’s challenges.
Ibrahim said, “Their aim is simply to give President Tinubu a bad name. For them, the plight of the people that the Tinubu administration is working tirelessly to address means nothing.
“They are spewing lies and unverified information. This is purely a distracting strategy to ensure the government fails. But their sinister plan will not work because Nigerians are not gullible. They know that this campaign of calumny against the Renewed Administration is for their own selfish political interest ahead of 2027.
” It is quite ironical and curious that of all the political appointees in the country, the authors of the said report and their sponsors decided to pick on the president’s chief of staff, Right Home. Femi Gbajabiamila, a man who presided of parliamentary affairs as Speaker and is grinded in matters of oversight. Even if it is true that he carried out and oversight function as CoS, it is in order as far as there are no illegalities or infractions of existing rules.
“There is nothing wrong with the Chief of Staff’s oversight visits as a political appointee, and there is no way he would have undertaken such visits without the nod of his principal, President Tinubu,” the director said.
Ibrahim further emphasised that opposition should focus on constructive criticism and offering alternative solutions rather than spreading falsehoods.
NAF expressed confidence in the Tinubu administration and its reforms, saying, “Nigerians are beginning to see the genuine intention and the dividends of Tinubu’s breathtaking and bold reforms.
“It’s high time Nigerians abandoned ethnicity and regional politics which is capable of causing chaos and division in the country, thereby distracting government, leading to more difficulties and hardship in the lives of Nigerians,” the group added.
Ibrahim further warned that persistent unfounded criticisms would only harm opposition chances in 2027 presidential elections because they are exposing their “bankruptcy of ideas to Nigerians through kangaroo criticisms and purported exclusive media report”.
By Abubakar Yunusa
The leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has welcome the former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to the party.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has officially joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), on Monday morning in what is being seen as a strategic realignment ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
His defection was confirmed on Monday, with SDP leader and 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, welcoming him into the party.
Adebayo described El-Rufai’s entry as a significant boost to the SDP’s vision, calling it a “moment of renewed hope for Nigeria.”
He also praised the former governor’s leadership and work ethic, noting that his presence would strengthen the party’s push for reforms.
“With the hardworking and sagacious Mallam joining our ranks, an avid worker for the people has been enlisted in our forces against poverty and insecurity,” Adebayo wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
El-Rufai’s defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) follows his growing discontent with the ruling party’s direction.
The former governor cited a misalignment between his values and the APC’s current trajectory as a key factor in his decision.
Adebayo also used the occasion to call on other like-minded politicians and citizens to rally behind the SDP’s mission of addressing governance failures in Nigeria.
“There is no time to waste. Join us on the march again! God bless Nigeria,” he urged.
El-Rufai, who previously served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and two-term Governor of Kaduna State, brings extensive political and administrative experience to his new party.
His move is expected to shape political dynamics ahead of the next election cycle.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has issued a warrant for the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), to appear before it.
The Martins Amaewhule-led Assembly issued the arrest warrant on Monday during plenary, after the expiration of its 72-hour ultimatum for the electoral chief to appear before the House.
Enebeli had fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh Local Government (LG) poll in the state following a Supreme Court verdict that annulled the October 5, 2024 local government poll conducted in the state.
The Amaewhule-led Assembly had vowed to probe the conduct of Enebeli regarding the conduct of the annulled LG poll last year.
Over the weekend, Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, invited members of the Assembly to a dialogue on the implementation the Supreme Court’s verdict.
The Supreme Court had also barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation and other agencies from releasing funds to the government of Rivers State until it purges itself of what the court described as flagrant disobedience to court orders.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, the five-man panel of the court had unanimously dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Fubara challenging the validity of the House of Assembly presided over by Amaewhule as the Speaker.
In dismissing Fubara’s appeal, the court ordered Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately with other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
An ally of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has confirmed the defection move of the former governor of Kaduna State amid a viral social media letter.
In a letter making the rounds on social media, El-Rufai purportedly announced his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a party which he is a founding member.
Parts of the letter entitled: “Onwards to the future”, reads: “As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC. It had been my hope since 2013 that my personal values and that of the APC will align up to the time I choose to retire from politics.
“Developments in the last two years confirm that there is no desire on the part of those who currently control and run the APC to acknowledge, much less address, the unhealthy situation of the party. On my part, I have raised concerns in private and, more recently, in public regarding the capricious trajectory of the party. Therefore, at this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform for the pursuit of the progressive values I cherish. Today, the 10th of March 2025, I have submitted a letter resigning my membership of the APC to my ward in Kaduna, effective immediately. Subsequent to this, I had concluded consultations with my mentors, colleagues and loyalists alike about the future, and have decided to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and adopt it as the platform for our future political engagements and activities.”
Muyiwa Adekeye, spokesperson of El-Rufai, did not respond to multiple messages seeking his reaction to the letter.
But sources in El-Rufai’s camp confirmed that all arrangements have been made for the former governor to submit his resignation letter to the APC at his ward in Kaduna.
An ally, who served as a commissioner under El-Rufai’s administration told Daily Trust that El-Rufai would be leaving the APC for the SDP today.
“Yes, we are all aware that he (El-Rufai) will tender his resignation from APC today, Monday, 10th March 2025, and join SDP. That is all we have been waiting for,” the source said.
The source further stated that El-Rufai’s supporters were not surprised by the leaked letter, as they were already aware of the development.
He said having worked closely with the former governor, he could vouch for the authenticity of the letter, which is yet to be posted on any of the social media platforms of El-Rufai, an avid social media user.