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Update : 19 APC governors endorsed Buni’s removal, Says El-Rufai

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….Buhari rebuffs lobbyists
Yobe governor, Akpanudoedehe excluded from convention committee

…..Senate caucus stands by CECPC chair
Party releases NWC zoning formula
NEC meeting for March 17

Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai last night explained why the All Progressives Congress (APC) caretaker chairman had to be pushed aside.

According to him, certain actions and inactions of Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni put the ruling party at risk because they were a hindrance to the plan to hold the convention on March 26.
El-Rufai, who spoke on a Channels Television programme, said he had the authority of Chairman of the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu to explain the action that led to the appointment of Niger State Governor Abubakar Sani Bello as acting chairman of APC.

He said 19 of the 23 governors elected on the ticket of the party were on same page on the mission to prevent the party from collapsing. He did not name the four governors that are not with them.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who is on two-week medical vacation in London, it was gathered, has rebuffed lobbyists trying to bring back Buni.

Buni and Caretaker Secretary James Akpanudoedehe have been excluded from the revised caretaker committee, inaugurated yesterday by acting Chairman Sani Bello.

The party announced March 17 for the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting.

El-Rufai said the governors met with President Buhari on Sunday, shortly before his London trip to obtain his approval for the plan to proceed with preparations for the convention and to hold a NEC meeting to ratify critical decision ons way the forward.

He confirmed that an injunction has been obtained following a request from the court by a party member to the effect that the party should not hold its convention until his grievances have been addressed.

El-Rufai, who said Buni was aware and neither informed the party nor did anything on it, said efforts had commenced now to vacate the injunction which he described as “a weapon of mass destruction”, planned to use to scuttle the convention.

He said the fate of caretaker secretary James Akpanudoedehe had been decided after he refused to take instruction from acting Chairman Bello who took over on Monday.

El-Rufai said: “We got a wind of a court process wherein an order had been gotten directing that the convention should not be held until the determination of the case. And it was unfortunate that, our lawyer engaged by Buni-led committee agreed with this in court. If this remains, how can the convention be done?

“We got signals that there were some elements in the party that were bent on scuttling the proposed March 26 convention.

“And if we miss that date, the following Saturday, will be Ramadan and that means we would not be able to have convention until after Ramadan. That means we would have lost another month according to INEC’s timetable.

“Based on this, we met with the president to discuss a number of issues with him like zoning formulae, which the president signed off on.

“We went the second time to inform the president that the zoning formula he signed off on had not been sent back to us.

“Instead, we were hearing about another list, which we knew was not from Mr. President.

“The President agreed with us and directed that with immediate effect, Governor Buni must go and that Governor Bello should take over the headship of the party.

“The president directed that we must do everything possible to ensure the convention holds. I can tell you that Bello has the full backing of the president and at least 19 of the 23 APC governors. Then, you can see that since Monday that Bello took over, we have made a lot of progress.”

Asked if their action was constitutional, El-Rufai said: “We had to intervene when we saw that the party was drifting and we are happy and satisfied with our action, though some didn’t want the party to progress.

“It is unfortunate that some politicians’ ambition was putting the party at risk and the President was not happy when he heard about the sinister motive.

“I can confirm to you that Mai Mala has stepped aside and I can assure you that when he returns to the country, he will not assume any position.

“We do not have any personal disagreement with Mai Mala Buni, as he was also a victim of many of the intrigues that played out.”

On the secretary, he said: “The CECCP has taken action on the secretary and I believe that whatever they do is done in accordance with the law.

“We want to send the message to everyone that the party is no longer at risk and we are already reaching out to all sides and camps within the party.

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Update : C’River PDP Deputy Governorship Candidate,Emana Resigns From Party

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy Governorship Candidate in 2023 general election, in Cross River State, Dr Emana Duke Ambroose-Amawhe, has resigned her membership from the party.

In a letter dated
march 28,2025, and addressed to the chairman of Edem Odo Ward, in Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River State, the former Deputy Governorship Candidate,explained that the resignation was with immediate effect.

She said her decision to leave the party was not made lightly, but she remains committed to serving her community and contributing to the progress of Cross River state and nation in other capacities.

In her words, “i am writing to formally resign my membership from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.

” I sincerely appreciate the opportunity given to me over time to contribute my quota to the growth of the party and the chance to serve as the Deputy Governorship Candidate in the last general elections.

” It was a privilege to be part of the PDP’s vision and engage with our people in meaningful ways. However, after much reflection in light of the current state of affairs within the party, I believe it is time for me to move on.

“This decision was not made lightly, but I remain committed to serving my community and contributing to the progress of our state and nation in other capacities.

Continuing ” I appreciate the relationships and experiences gained during my time with the party and wish the PDP success in its future endeavours.

Amawhe, an embodiment of competence, capability and capacity,
was the Deputy Governorship Candidate to Senator Sandy Onor in Cross River State during the 2023 elections.

She was also an aspirant to the House of Representatives for the Bakassi/Akpabuyo/Calabar South Federal Constituency on the platform of the PDP.

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Breaking : Sule Lamido blasts El-Rufai over call to join SDP, Says how can a grandson claim his grandfather knows nothing’

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Former Governor of Jigawa State and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Sule Lamido, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, over his call for opposition politicians to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

El-Rufai, who recently announced his defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to SDP, urged opposition leaders including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Rauf Aregbesola to join him in his new political movement.

However, Lamido in an interview with BBC dismissed El-Rufai’s invitation, questioning his political ideology and commitment to national development.

“With all due respect, how does he expect us in PDP to leave and join another party? The PDP that we built is the same party that made him who he is today. How can a grandson claim his grandfather knows nothing?” Lamido said.

He recalled that El-Rufai once declared there were no political elders in Nigeria, insisting that he and his allies were the true power brokers.

“But now he claims he advised Buhari. If he truly had the power he once boasted of, why did he have to seek Buhari’s counsel?” Lamido asked.

The former governor stressed that, despite PDP’s internal challenges, it remained his political home.

“If PDP is struggling today, it is still the party that nurtured El-Rufai. If he claims PDP is dead, then he must remember that it is the party that gave him his political foundation. Whatever he has achieved today, PDP made it possible.”

“If I didn’t join APC in 2014 when I was invited, and they left PDP out of anger, why are they now leaving APC? What has APC done to them?” he asked.

He maintained that governance should not be driven by emotions or personal grudges.

“Leadership is about patience, foresight, and working for the peace of the people and the nation. If you allow emotions to dictate your decisions, you will never lead objectively.”

He stressed that if the goal is to unseat President Bola Tinubu, it should not be based on personal grievances but on national interest.

“We should not fight Tinubu just because we are angry at him or seeking revenge. Leadership should be about prioritizing the country’s well-being rather than personal emotions.”

Lamido concluded by urging politicians to focus on strengthening the country rather than making decisions based on resentment.

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Breaking : Rivers State House of Assembly Gives Governor Fubara, 48 hours to present 2025 Budget

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….I’ll obey Supreme Court judgment, says Fubara

Forty-eight hours after the Supreme Court handed down two judgments that threaten the soul of the Siminalayi Fubara Rivers State government, the governor yesterday announced his intention to fully obey the orders.

In a twist, described by observers of the Rivers State politics as unexpected, Fubara told Rivers residents that he expected to get the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment by Friday to enable him to take the necessary action.

He ordered the 23 local government chairmen, whose election was voided by the judgment, to quit today after handing over to heads of personnel.

The apex court on Friday gave two judgments – one by Justice Akomaye Agim, which recognises the Martins Amaewhule-led 26 members of the state House of Assembly, and the second by Justice Jamilu Tukur, which declared as invalid the election conducted on October 5, 2024, that led to the emergence of 23 chairmen and 319 councillors.

The apex court further invalidated the state budget and ordered the Central Bank and the Accountant-General of the Federation to stop releasing funds to the state government pending when Fubara would re-present the budget to the authentic House of Assembly led by Speaker Amaewhule.

In a broadcast yesterday, Governor Fubara said: “I have had a meeting with my team of lawyers and they have assured me that the certified true copy of the judgments may be available to them by Friday 7th March 2025.

“I assure you that upon the receipt of certified judgments, we shall study their ramifications and implement them without reservations to move the state forward.

“Furthermore, given the outlawing of caretaker arrangements in the local government system, I hereby direct the heads of personnel management to immediately take over the administration of the 23 local government councils pending the conduct of fresh elections by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.

“I further direct the outgoing local government chairmen to formally hand over the levers of power to the heads of personnel management by Monday, 3rd March 2025.”

Fubara said since its inception, his administration conducted the affairs of government within the framework of the constitution, due process and the rule of law.

The governor noted with regret the trying times the state had been plunged but urged everyone to remain calm and peacefully go about their legitimate daily activities and be sure that his administration would continue to do everything in meeting their aspirations.

Fubara said: “We are all aware of the recent Supreme Court judgments and pronouncements regarding aspects of the lingering political disputes in our dear state.

“Although we disagree with the judgments, we are bound to obey the orders made therein as a law-abiding government.

“Since inception, we have conducted the affairs of government within the framework of our Constitution, due process and the rule of law.

“While we are not above mistakes because we are humans, we believe that we have not, as a government, done anything deliberately to trample on the rule of law or the hallowed principles of constitutional governance.”

Fubara, Amaewhule should work together, say elders

The Rivers State Elders Council (RSEC) called on Fubara and Speaker Amaewhule, to prioritise the interest of the state and work together in line with the Supreme Court judgment.

Referring to Fubara and the lawmakers as one political family, the elders in a statement signed by its Chairman, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, said there was no more case standing between the both parties.

The elders congratulated the people of Rivers State on what they described as the well-rounded pronouncements of the Supreme Court oon the political crises.

The statement said: “The Elders Council further commends the people of the state for their resilience, patience and peaceful disposition throughout the period of the crises in the state while awaiting the final verdict of the apex court of the land on all the matters.

“Now that the Supreme Court has spoken unequivocally on all the matters, we believe strongly that nothing now stands in the way of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, Governor of Rivers State and Rt Hon Martin Amaewhule, Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, working together in the best interest of the state and her people.

“We are, therefore, calling on the Governor of Rivers State and the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who both emerged from the same political family in the state, to put Rivers State above all other considerations, personal or otherwise, and ensure urgently that all necessary steps are taken in conformity with their constitutional responsibilities.

“We give God Almighty all the glory for granting Rivers State this unique opening for peace to return to our dear state.”

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