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Presidency, Governors Back Bamidele, Ndume, Umahi
The Presidency and All Progressives Congress (APC) governors are in support of the principal officers of the Senate and House of Representatives announced yesterday, it was learnt.
This is contrary to the anger displayed by APC National Chairman Abdullahi Adamu in a remark before he met with the governors at the party secretariat.
Adamu had chided the presiding officers for announcing the names of principal officers without getting clearance from him.
Those announced are Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Deputy Leader David Umahi, Chief Whip Ali Ndume, Deputy Whip Lola Ashiru, Minority Leader Simon Mwadkwon, Deputy Minority Leader Oyewunmi Olalere, Minority Chief Whip Darlington Nwokeocha and Deputy Minority Whip Rufai Hamga.
For the House of Representatives: House Leader Julius Ihonvbere, Deputy House Leader Abdullahi Halims, Chief Whip Usman Kumo, Deputy Whip Adewunmi Onanuga,
Minority House Leader Kingsley Chinda, Deputy House Leader Ali Madaki, Minority House Chief Whip Ali Isa and Deputy Whip George Ozodinobi.
It was also learnt that the National Assembly may present its principal officers to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu today at the Aso Villa.
Investigation showed that the Senate leadership presented the list of principal officers to Adamu on Sunday for his support during a meeting with him on his farm in his hometown Keffi, Nasarawa State.
But his alleged delay in sending a notice to the National Assembly on the list of principal officers created tension.
It was gathered that for more than five hours on Monday, Senators and members of the House of Representatives were awaiting Adamu’s return to sign a notification letter to the National Assembly.
It was further learnt that when the party’s national chairman was footdragging, the APC caucuses in the two chambers proceeded to announce its list of consensus principal officers at plenary yesterday.
Adamu was, however, angry because the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abass did not wait for him to sign an official letter on the lawmakers’ choices.
A top source said: “The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House consulted widely. The governors and respected party leaders were involved in designing the power-sharing formula.
“After building consensus, the Senate President on Sunday led the new principal officers to Keffi for Adamu’s information and blessing.
“We still have the evidence of the photos taken on the farm. We do not know where Adamu was coming from in criticising the decision at the secretariat yesterday when he had the opportunity to raise objections with the leadership of the 10th National Assembly. He didn’t make any observations on Sunday.
“The slow process of notifying the National Assembly resulted in suspicion and tension. The APC National Secretary Sen. Iyiola Omisore on Monday signed the notice to the lawmakers but the letter couldn’t be forwarded because Adamu was yet to counter-sign.
“To prevent the opposition from presenting its list of officers ahead of APC, the Senate and the House leadership opted to act faster by unveiling the principal officers.
“Adamu believed the National Assembly ought to respect him and work at his pace.”
Adamu was on his own because the National Assembly had gone far in selecting its principal officers.
It was confirmed that the presidency, APC governors and some party leaders participated actively in arriving at a “win-win” formula.
Another top source added: “The National Assembly has the backing of the Presidency and the Progressives Governors Forum on the harmonised list of principal officers.
“The APC caucuses in the National Assembly amicably agreed on the list of the principal officers and no one can stop it.
“Even when there were issues with Sen. Ali Ndume as the second-ranking Senator after Dr. Ahmad Lawan, Senators prevailed on the Borno South Senator to accept to serve under Sen. Bamidele. Ndume bowed to pressure and accepted to be Senate Chief Whip.
“As the party’s national chairman, Adamu cannot overrule the decision of the APC caucuses in the Senate and the House of Representatives. There is no provision in the APC Constitution giving him such power.”
On the way forward, the source added: “The National Assembly has resolved to present its new principal officers to President Tinubu on Wednesday (today).
“Adamu complained of inadequate communication but he shouldn’t have gone to the extent of overruling the National Assembly in public on the selection of the principal officers.”
APC governors disagreed with the party chairman, saying that the announcement of principal officers by Senator Akpabio and Abbas at plenaries enjoyed their support.
During a meeting with members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) led by its Chairman, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Adamu alleged that the National Working Committee (NWC) was not carried along.
Adamu said: “I am just hearing as a rumour now from the online media that there have been some announcements in the Senate and House of Representatives.
“The national headquarters of the party and the NWC have not received any such information or communicated its choice of officers.
“Until we formally resolve and communicate with them in writing which is the norm and practice, it is not our intention to break away from traditions.
“So, whatever announcement is done by either the President of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker, is not from this secretariat.”
A Northcentral governor said the chairman was carried along, adding that the decision on the zoning of principal officers was reached after wide consultations with critical stakeholders of the party, including the NWC and the presidency.
A Northwest governor also cautioned Adamu, saying that the chairman’s pronouncement was capable of causing a crisis between the National Assembly and the party leadership.
Also, a governor from the Northwest urged the party leadership to work towards uniting the party by closing ranks with some aggrieved members.
He stressed the need for unity among the various party organs and hierarchies.
Uzodimma, who spoke with reporters, faulted the national chairman’s position, maintaining that the National Assembly leadership enjoys the support of APC governors.
“If there is any way that there is a communication gap anywhere, we will make it up and we have our internal mechanism of resolving such things.
“The National Assembly leadership enjoys the support of the Progressives Governors Forum and our party. We don’t have any problem at all.”
Other governors at the meeting were Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Abdulrahman AbdulRasak (Kwara), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Rev. Hyacient Alia (Benue), Diko Rada (Katsina), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Francis Ogobona Nwifuru (Ebonyi), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), and Umar Namadi (Jigawa).
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
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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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