News
Stop Crying Like A Child, Presidency Replies El-Rufai
The Presidency has said that the former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, should stop behaving like a child and move on with his life, having failed the Senate screening to be in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet.
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, says Nasir El-Rufai is disappointed for being left out during the President’s ministerial appointment.
In August 2023, the Senate withheld El-Rufai’s confirmation as a ministerial nominee, citing security reports.
With the fallout of the ministerial appointment, El-Rufai has recently become critical of the Tinubu administration and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, El-Rufai claimed that President Tinubu himself rejected him as a Minister, not the Senate.
“After serving for eight years as governor of Kaduna state, I had my plans. The President publicly appealed to me to put my plans on hold, and through two months of negotiations, we finally agreed that he would nominate me as minister, and there were certain conditions I attached to that. Along the line, the president changed his mind or something else.
“I think along the line, the President changed his mind or something else. Please don’t believe the story that the National Assembly rejected me. The National Assembly had nothing to do with this; the President didn’t want me in his cabinet, so he changed his mind. I don’t care whatever it is, and I’ve moved on.
“Since I’ve moved on, I’ve not said a word, I’ve not granted an interview, I’ve not commented on the government, but it is within my right as a founding member of the All Progressives Congress to ask why the party isn’t functioning,” he said.
But speaking on Channels Television on Tuesday, Onanuga said that even though the former FCT minister worked hard for Tinubu’s emergence as president, he must move on from the disappointment of not being made a minister.
He said: “I will pity former Kaduna State governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai; he feels hurt that he was not made a minister.
“It has been long since the cabinet was formed in August 2023. I think it is time for him to move on. He cannot continue to behave like a child, as if someone stole his bread… crying over spilt milk, as we say.”
While acknowledging that it is not out of place for El-Rufai to feel aggrieved, having worked hard for Tinubu’s election, Onanuga said that the President is not denying his efforts.
“It is natural for him to feel bad that he has been excluded. I think the president has acknowledged in a recent tribute to him that Nasir did a lot in installing President Tinubu, and if he is not there, it doesn’t mean he will bring down the roof,” he said
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.