News
10th Senate: APC govs disagree with Adamu over principal officers
There were seemly disagreement between the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu and the governors of the party on Tuesday, over his (Adamu) utterance on the newly appointed principal officers of the National Assembly.
CAPITAL POST earlier reported that the Chairman in a meeting with members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) led by its Chairman, Governor Hope Uzodimma told the governors that the National Working Committee (NWC) was not a party to the principal officers announced by the presiding officers of the two chambers of the National Assembly.
The Party Chairman had 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 has not given any such information or communicated about the choice of offices.
“And 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 either the President of the Senate, Deputy Senate President, Speaker or Deputy Speaker, is not from this secretariat”.
But at the closed-door meeting with the governors, it was gathered that the chairman’s position did not go down well with the state chief executives, most of whom were caught aback by what most of the governors called an “unwarranted” outburst of the chairman.
A source at the meeting said efforts by the PGF Chairman to douse the import of chairman failed as the governor of Niger State, Umar Mohammed Bago cautioned the chairman of dissociating the NWC from the emergence of the principal officers of the National Assembly.
Bago was quoted to have said that the emergence and zoning of positions of the principal officers were reached after wide consultations with critical stakeholders of the party, including the NWC and wondered why the Chairman will back out after the officers have been announced on the floor of the National Assembly.
He further said that the Presidency was equally informed adding that all critical stakeholders were adequately carried along before the zoning was reached.
In the same vein, the governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi expressed surprise at the chairman’s dissociation of the NWC from the arrangement which was transparently and collectively made. He advised the chairman to avoid making such a statement warning that the chairman’s pronouncement is capable of causing an unnecessary crisis between the National Assembly and the party leadership.
It was also gathered that the former Caretaker Committee Chairman and governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni joined his colleagues to advise the party leadership to work towards uniting the party by closing ranks with some aggrieved members of the party.
Buni stressed the need for unity among the various party organs and hierarchies.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting, the Chairman of PGF and governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzondimma faulted the national chairman position on the Principal officers of the National Assembly maintaining that the leadership of the legislative houses enjoys the support of APC governors.
“Chairman never said that they are on their own. The National Assembly leadership belongs to our great party and they are members of our party, they are members of our party and they enjoy our support.
“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.”
On their meeting which lasted for over three hours, the PGF Chairman said the two organs of the party reviewed among other things the outcome of the 2023 elections and identify areas that the party has to strengthen.
Governors at the meeting include Hope Uzodimma (Imo); 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), Umar Namadi (Jigawa) and Umar Mohammed (Niger).
Others are deputy governors of Kaduna State, Haidza Balarabe and her Nasarawa counterpart, Dr Emmanuel Agbadu Akabe.
Also in attendance were all members of the NWC except the National Publicity Secretary, the National Financial Secretary, National Organising Secretary and the Deputy National Organising Secretary.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, over the passing of his mother, Hajiya Safarau Umar Baribari.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Dr. Ganduje described Hajiya Safarau’s death as a profound loss that has left a deep void in the hearts of her family, friends, and the people of Katsina State.
Extending his sympathies, the APC National Chairman condoled with Governor Radda, the bereaved family, and the entire people of Katsina State during this difficult time.
He acknowledged the remarkable contributions of the late Hajiya Safarau and prayed for Almighty Allah (SWT) to grant her eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus while strengthening the family to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Dr. Ganduje urged Governor Radda and others affected to find comfort in the cherished memories and enduring legacy of the deceased.
Reaffirming the APC’s support, the former Kano State governor assured the people of Katsina State of the party’s solidarity in their time of grief and prayed that Allah (SWT) grant the departed soul Al-Jannah Firdaus. Ameen.
The wife of Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), Hajia Aishat has offered cash and food items worth millions of naira to widows and vulnerable women across Dekina local government Councils, promises to take similar gesture across the nine local government in Kogi East.
The exercise which was tagged: “Widows Empowerment”, saw the Senator’s wife distributing cash and food items to cushion the effect of Ramadan.
Items distributed are bags of rice bags of salt, cartons of seasoning, maggi etc, which were evenly distributed to widows and vulnerable women across party lines.
A beneficiary who spoke with our correspondent at Odu in Dekina Local Government Council, Hon Fitumi thanked Hajia for her continuous effort in coming through for widows and vulnerable regularly.
She acknowledged similar gesture by Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), a fortnight ago at Ankpa when youths in their numbers from three Local Government Areas were trained in Agriculture and empowered, stressing that people are now living testimony to the effort of the lawmaker.
“”We are aware of several intervention projects, empowerment and developmental projects of Senator Echocho and we are not surprised seeing Hajia toeing the similar path.
“The distribution of food items and cash today is not only a rekindling of hope to the beneficiaries, but an encouragement that despite their condition, they were not forgotten.
Hajia Labran, and other APC Women leaders who spoke on behalf of women, applauded Hajia Aisha Echocho and pray Allah to strengthen her to carry on, urged others to emulate her sustainable initiatives.
The women advised other political office holders to emulate what is good and just, which they believed would strengthen the party.
As part of the activities to celebrate the golden anniversary of the University of Calabar, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio was on Saturday, March 22, 2025 conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in Education Management.
The ceremony held at the main campus of the institution in Calabar, Cross River State also saw the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Law.
Other awardees included Major General Moses Bisong Obi (rtd) (Doctor of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Obi (Doctor of Law).
In her acceptance speech after the conferment by the 15th Emir of Kano and Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Akpabio thanked the Governing Council and Management of the University for finding her worthy of the honour.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong quoted Mrs Akpabio as saying “I am happy to be honoured with this award from the prestigious University of Calabar that I have heard so much about from my dear husband, an alumnus of this great institution.
“I was wondering when I will join him as a great Malabress and that day has come and I am grateful to the University for this honour,” she said.
Mrs Akpabio promised to work with other awardees especially the Minister of the FCT to provide infrastructural assistance to the university.
In a citation the University extolled Mrs Akpabio for her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts towards uplifting the lives of women and the vulnerable of the society through her non governmental organisation, the Family Life Enhancement Initiative.
She was also recognized as a Champion of women’s rights and as one who used her position as the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State to fight for the inclusion of more women in governance.
On his part, Chief Wike said he was honoured to be among the recipients of award. He extolled the Visitor of the University, President Bola Tinubu for working tirelessly to promote tertiary education in the country.
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