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2027: North Central Won’t Go Into Alliance With North-East, North-West – APC Forum

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Ahead of the 2027 general election, the North-Central All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum has declared that the North-Central zone will not go into any coalition with the North-East and the North-West.

There are speculations that ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar, former governors of Kaduna and Rivers states, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, and Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate in 2023, Peter Obi, are planning to join forces against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

The speculations heightened after the opposition politicians criticised Tinubu’s government and the ruling APC at the National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria, held on Monday, 27th January 2025, in Abuja.

El-Rufai at the event urged opposition parties to unite and form a broad coalition to challenge the APC and protect democracy in the country.

In a statement made available to journalists on Saturday in Abuja, the North-Central APC Forum said the zone would not be part of any coalition that includes the North-East and the North-West.

In the statement signed by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, a member of the APC presidential campaign council in the 2023 election, the Forum said the North-Central does not want a repeat of what happened after it played a major role in the coalition that led to the formation of the APC and emergence of the government of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.

In February 2013, Nigeria’s three biggest opposition parties at the time – the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP – teamed up with a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and a camp in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to form the APC.

The CPC camp, which was led by Buhari, included Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, from the North-Central.

As at the time of the merger, the North-West zone had only one governor among the parties in the coalition – Zamfara State governor Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari of the ANPP.

The ACN was led by Tinubu, who later became the national leader of the APC.

The only ACN governor at the time of the merger, Dr. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, left office in October 2014, just over a year after the new party was formed. Although Peter Obi was Anambra State governor on APGA’s platform at the time of the merger, he was not part of the party’s faction that joined the coalition that formed the APC.

The statement noted that the North-Central was relegated to the background by the North-East and the North-West during Buhari’s administration, despite playing a major role in the coalition that brought the government.

“The North-Central brought a sitting governor in the coalition. Many of the other zones did not bring anything.

“Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State in the North-Central was the only sitting governor that actively participated in forming the APC.

“But it is unfortunate that after he became President, Buhari did not even consider that when we asked for the position of Speaker and the position was taken to Lagos.

“During Buhari’s government the North-Central suffered most – we were denied infrastructure, our roads were not attended to and the high level ot insecurity in the region was not addressed.

“Instead the North-East and the North-West concentrated all the benefits in their zones. Federal appointments, which many Nigerians believed favoured the North, only went to the two zones. The North-Central was left out,” the statement said.

According to the APC Forum, the request by the North Central Elders Forum, NCEF, for the zone to be given the chance to produce the Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2019, was rejected by the the APC leadership because Buhari, from the North-West, did not approve the plea.

The statement added that the position of Senate President in the Buhari government, which went to the North-Central following the election of Senator Bukola Saraki, from Kwara State, should have been retained by the zone during Buhari’s second term.

Ahmed Lawan, from Yobe State, replaced Saraki as Senate President in Buhari’s second term, serving in the position from June 2019 to the end of the administration in 2023.

The North-Central APC Forum said not retaining the Senate presidency in the zone, after Saraki’s tenure, was an injustice to the region.

Distancing the North-Central from the coalition, the statement added, “Whatever Atiku Abubakar and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai are doing is for their own benefit, not even in the interest of the North-East and North-West.

“Nigerians should also bear in mind that all these politicians who are attacking President Bola Tinubu today are just frustrated individuals who are angry that they are not part of the government.

“They will be singing a different song if they are part of the government.

“We restate our position that no magic would make President Bola Tinubu lose his bid for reelection in 2027 – not even the alliance and coalition of these political leaders. We are confident that Nigerians will once again chose the APC government in the next election because of the good performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“However, the North-Central APC Forum wishes to make it clear that the North-Central zone will not be part of any coalition with the North-East and the North-West.

“It is very imperative that we make this point because we have observed that the planned coalition is being championed by politicians from these two zones – His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from the North-East and Mallam Nasir El-Rufai from the North-West.”

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ADC’s Aisha Yesufu Issues Public Apology For Listing Yemi Adamolekun Without Consent

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Prominent activist and African Democratic Congress (ADC) member Aisha Yesufu has issued a public apology to governance advocate Yemi Adamolekun following a controversy over her inclusion in the party’s Wise Men and Women Policy and Manifesto Committee.

The issue emerged on Wednesday after Adamolekun, former executive director of Enough is Enough Nigeria, expressed surprise on social media at seeing her name listed among members of the ADC committee.

Tagging Yesufu and ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi, Adamolekun questioned the party’s process in a blunt post on X.

“ADC! ADC! ADC! How many times did I call you? This is not how to build credibility o! Please show me evidence of when I joined your party! Na wa….” she wrote.

Responding the same day, Abdullahi said the committee was designed to be expert-driven rather than strictly partisan.

“It is important to point out that not everyone on the ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee is a member of the ADC. Many are not even politicians,” he said.

He added, “This is because the ADC believes that the task of developing workable public policies for the benefit of all Nigerians should not be left to politicians alone.”

Abdullahi maintained that the party had followed due process.

He said the ADC had undergone a “vetting process” and “took all necessary measures to ensure that everyone recommended to serve on this important committee was duly notified and had given their consent.”

Despite the disagreement, he expressed hope that Adamolekun would still participate, citing her “vast experience – even though she is not a member of our party.”

However, reacting on Friday, Yesufu, a member of the party’s Revalidation, Mobilisation and Registration Committee, acknowledged the error and apologised publicly.

She wrote, “This is inexcusable, and on behalf of my party, accept my apologies for this mix-up. We do not take you and your need to have a better Nigeria for granted.”

Yesufu admitted the process was flawed.

“Like you rightly pointed out, you ought to have been informed and your consent gotten before your name is published.

“This is well noted, and going forward we will continue to ensure due diligence,” she said.

She added, “Thank you for calling our attention to this. We can only get better when we get such feedback and improve accordingly.

“The work to rebuilding Nigeria is enormous, and in our eagerness to start off, we must never forget due process and diligence.”

Yesufu also extended an apology to others affected by the publication.

“For anyone that was also not contacted and consent gotten before publication, kindly accept my apologies for the mix-up,” she said.

 

 

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Atiku’s Son Gives Thumbs Up To Tinubu’s Economic Policies, Backs Another Term

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Abba Atiku Abubakar, son of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has attributed his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid to what he described as the administration’s innovative and business-friendly economic policies.

He said President Tinubu’s economic initiatives are more favourable to businesses than those of previous administrations, adding that the reforms have reshaped his political alignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Abba made the remarks during a solidarity visit to the leadership of the City Boy Movement (CBM) in Abuja on Monday evening, where he led members of the Haske Atiku Organisation, now rebranded as the Haske Tinubu Organisation.

He recalled that he formally defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on January 15, collecting his membership card at Gwadabwa Ward in Yola North Local Government Area of Adamawa State, where he publicly pledged support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

According to him, his decision to back the president was driven by admiration for the economic policies introduced since 2023, which he believes are positioning the country for stronger private-sector growth and investment.

According to him, “This administration has introduced policies that have every Nigerian in mind. If anyone says this government is not doing well, I will tell them they are lying,” he said. “I believe that if given another term, the government will do even more because it is focused.”

He explained that his long-standing experience in business has given him a clear perspective on economic governance in Nigeria.

“Since the return of democratic rule in 1999, I have been in business, and I am still in business today. The economic policies of Mr. President are favourable—not just to businesses, but to Nigerians in general, who are already benefiting from these reforms,” he stated.

He also explained that his decision to join the APC and align with the City Boy Movement was motivated by his passion for the Tinubu-led administration and his desire to serve.

“My joining the APC and the City Boy Movement is based on my belief in this administration. I also intend to use this platform to serve the people of Adamawa at the National Assembly level. Mr. President has made youth inclusion in politics a reality,” Abubakar added.

The Director General of the City Boy Movement, Mr. Oluwatosin Shoga reaffirmed President Tinubu’s commitment to youth participation in governance and leadership.

He noted that one of CBM’s core strategic mandates is to ensure that young Nigerians are deliberately positioned for leadership roles while encouraging greater youth involvement in the political process.

Abba’s delegation was received by the Director General of CBM, Mr. Shoga, and the National Coordinator, Mr. Favour Abayomi.

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Oriyomi Hamzat Formally Joins 2027 Oyo Governorship Race Under Accord Party

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Popular Ibadan-based broadcaster and founder of Agidigbo 88.7 FM, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat has officially declared his intention to run for the 2027 Oyo State governorship under the Accord Party.

 

In a public declaration, Hamzat stated, “I am publicly declaring today that in 2027.

 

“I will not campaign for anyone or mobilise crowds for anyone.

 

“I will contest in the gubernatorial election under the Accord Party.”

 

The announcement signals Hamzat’s full commitment to his own political ambitions, stepping away from backing other candidates as he positions himself for the Oyo State governorship race.

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