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Ex-Governor Yari Lands In London Hospital After Losing Senate Presidency To Akpabio
Former Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari last week ended up in a hospital in London, United Kingdom shortly after losing his Senate Presidential bid to Godswill Akpabio.
Sources told SaharaReporters on Monday that Yari lost at least $72 million in the process as he gave senators at least $500,000 each to secure their votes. It was however learnt that some of the senators who were paid by Yari ditched him at the last minute, landing the former governor in the foreign hospital.
Akpabio, former governor and also former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, was last Tuesday elected as Senate President during the inauguration of the 10th Senate.
Out of the 109 Senators in the upper legislative chambers of the National Assembly, Akpabio, an All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker from Akwa Ibom South-South, won with 63 votes. Senator Abdulaziz Yari from Zamfara North West, who is also of the APC, got 46 votes.
Akpabio was the anointed candidate of President Bola Tinubu. He was also favoured by the APC zoning arrangement.
The former Akwa Ibom governor was one of the APC presidential aspirants who stepped down for Tinubu during the party’s presidential primary election in June 2022.
Akpabio withdrew from the race, saying he would support Tinubu to be the next president of Nigeria.
Akpabio, therefore, asked delegates supporting him to cast their votes for Tinubu in the primary election.
SaharaReporters had reported that Senator Ali Ndume from Borno South, nominated Akpabio while Senator Elisha Abbo from Adamawa North nominated Yari ahead of the election in the upper chamber.
The minute Abbo nominated Yari, some lawmakers started protesting but Abbo stood his ground and challenged those opposed to Yari’s nomination to go to court.
However, sources told SaharaReporters that Yari was badly hit by the loss to Akpabio as he was confident that he would get votes from the senators he gave money.
Beyond that, SaharaReporters also learnt that Yari was also reportedly scammed by his Campaign Director of Operations, Jimoh Ibrahim.
“Yari landed in the hospital after he lost at least $72 million to Senators who received at least $500,000 from him and ditched him at the last minute.
“Also, his Campaign Director of Operations, Jimoh Ibrahim who was put in charge of the distribution of funds and gadgets like branded gold-plated iPhone 14 to senators reportedly scammed him.
“Some Senators met Jimoh Ibrahim in suites at Hilton Hotel in Abuja but Ibrahim did not fully deliver their ‘entitlements’ to them,” one of the sources said.
SaharaReporters learnt that “Yari arrived in London from Abuja on a British Airways flight last Friday” and soon landed in the hospital.
How sources could not confirm to SaharaReporters if the Senator had left the hospital and returned to Nigeria yet.
Last Friday, Yari was quoted as saying if he knew he was not contesting against only Akpabio and would not win, he would have participated in the election.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, He lamented that there was a gang-up of some top government officials against him.
He said from his analysis before the election, he had more people on his side, adding that he “didn’t contest against Akpabio”.
According to Yari, if he knew he would not be up against Akpabio, he would not have joined the race.
Yari said he contested against President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, governors and some other top government officials.
News
Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.
He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”
“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”
Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.
News
Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency
The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.
In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.
Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote
Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.
‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.
President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded
News
Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience
Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.
The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.
In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.
He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”
The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.
Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.
“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”
Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.
“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”
The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.
By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.
The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.
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