A former member of President Bola Tinubu’s campaign council, Adamu Garba, has said unless the President retraces his steps, he may lose the North’s support in the 2027 election.

Naija News reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said the Hausa/Fulani community feels alienated by the President.

In an interview with AIT on Wednesday, Garba stated that President Tinubu failed to carry along politicians who helped him win the 2023 election.

He stressed that the opposition parties were already capitalizing on the President’s lapses to rally Northerners against the President.

On the way forward, Garba advised the President to use the remaining two years of his administration to recalibrate his political moves.

He emphasized that Northern politicians with the President may leave him by 2027 if he did not work hard on his political choices.

His words: “I think he has lost his diplomacy and also lost his reach, and a kind of politics of inclusivity with so many people of the Northwest and the Northeast, especially to be very candid with you, the Hausa/Fulani communities are feeling alienated. So because of this challenge, you will see that so many of the leaders are disenchanted. They were feeling like government came and they were just thrown out of the window.

“Some of them are feeling that they didn’t get their fair share. The people are desperately angry. The problem that we are having in the country, ordinary people don’t have explanation to why they become, in a situation where they find themselves. So this is now… And then you have the opposition saying that because the President is anti-North, and that’s why you are suffering. So that narrative that was sold to the people. And then people are sitting well.

“Meanwhile, the people that the President is supposed to use to carry out his mission and maintain this political base, those political houses that used to maintain this base, we are not anywhere near the power equation. So they are feeling alienated. And that’s why everybody is just watching.

“I think the President needs to recalibrate his political structures in this whole area. And I think he needs to move deeper. And he has to do this reconciliation himself. Otherwise, there are so many people that are close to him, smiling, but I’m telling you, they don’t want to lose their base. And if the base say no, if they go back, they’ll betray, because this is politics, and everybody is about to survive. So the best solution is to find a way to extend his diplomatic tentacles and making sure that these people are feeling carried along.

“I am telling you, that’s exactly what will save his political interest. The President needs to take personal active interest in the political permutation of 2027. He has two years, so it’s something that he can 100% retrieve, but he really has to recalibrate his strategy going into 2027.”

The National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Sani, has expressed that some northerners are angry with President Bola Tinubu over the “unprecedented poverty” experienced in the region since he assumed office.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm programme on Tuesday, Sani stated that the anger directed at the president is now being transferred to his son, Seyi Tinubu, particularly in light of the latter’s recent philanthropic activities in the North.

When questioned about Seyi Tinubu’s recent trip to the North, where he distributed food during Ramadan, Sani said the backlash against Seyi’s gesture stemmed from the worsening poverty in the region, which many northerners blame on the president.

He said, “Well, you see, the issue is that it’s always difficult to separate, you know, the person from the office. What am I trying to say? Is that president Bola Tinubu as a person today cannot be separated from the office of the president, isn’t it? And I don’t think there’s anything wrong with any member of his family that can contribute to the development of democracy and to making the situation better for the people. You know, they should be denied the opportunity of doing that because I mean blood is thicker than water.

“I mean, it’s the fact that this is in the case of Seyi, like you are saying. It’s my father. So if he succeeds, I have succeeded. If he fails, I have failed. You know, it goes on for everybody. So, but the, I think what people are complaining about is the fact that you have chosen a particular region. You know, and then again you contribute to making that region poorer than it used to be. Because today, the poverty level in the North is is unprecedented. We have never had anybody has ever seen anything like that.”

Sani further explained that while no one should stop members of the president’s family from contributing to national development, the current economic situation in the North has fueled frustration, and some people see Seyi’s philanthropic actions as an extension of the perceived failure of his father’s administration.

He said, “No, the president could be somebody from the North, Southeast, Southwest, or wherever he may be from. The point I’m making is that whoever is in charge is responsible for whatever is happening to the country, especially when you talk about the the the the lot of the people, how the the welfare people have been have been eroded, you know, in the manner that it has been eroded here today. So it is the anger of the North against the horrendous, you know, situations they have found themselves that is now being extended to Seyi. It’s not because Seyi is helping his father because nobody can stop, you know, even there’s no country where you don’t find families coming together to help their own. “

Sani did not criticize Seyi Tinubu for his actions but called for more diplomacy in how they are carried out. “It’s a natural thing for families to come together to help their own. I don’t blame Seyi for what he’s doing,” he said.

However, he pointed out that certain actions, such as singing and dancing during the Ramadan Iftar, were “anti-Islam” and should be avoided.

“What is wrong with Iftar is when you start singing and dancing and engaging in activities that are not in line with the teachings of Islam,” he remarked.

Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has defended her clash with the senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, at a Senate Committee hearing on Tuesday.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday, Ezekwesili stated that she is pleased with her verbal engagement with the Imo lawmaker, saying that the clash has exposed what women face in a patriarchal society.

She said, “I was very pleased with what happened yesterday because now it is in the public domain what women endure in many instances, and the rest of society may know a little about it but has not focused on it. It has now come to the top of our public agenda that we should not allow for a society that shuts down voices.”

The clash occurred during a Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions hearing on a fresh petition submitted by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Ezekwesili was present at the hearing alongside Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, counsel to Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the chief petitioner from Kogi Central, Zubairu Yakubu.

Trouble started when the petitioner urged the Chairman of the Committee, Neda Imasuen, to step down in the case following the ‘controversial’ manner in which he had so far handled the alleged sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio.

He further alleged that some committee members had pre-existing ties to Akpabio, which he said compromised their ability to be neutral.

His remarks angered some lawmakers, who accused him of attempting to undermine the committee’s credibility.

Ezekwesili also came under fire for what they saw as her insistence on forcing herself into the proceedings.

However, Ezekwesili insisted on being heard out.

She said, “I asked to be put on oath as a witness. I am a citizen of Nigeria.”

This led to a heated argument with Nwaebonyi, who lashed out at her, saying, “You’re a fool. What do you mean? Why are you talking to me like that? I will not take it. You’re an insult to womanhood. People like you cannot be here.”

Ezekwesili called him a “hooligan,” further escalating the altercation.

The verbal battle momentarily disrupted the hearing before order was restored.

During the proceedings, tensions flared when Nwaebonyi was heard hurling derogatory remarks at Ezekwesili, referring to her as an “insult to womanhood” and a “hooligan.”

The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission for not outrightly rejecting the petition seeking her recall, describing the commission’s response as an indication of bias.

INEC, in a statement on Tuesday signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed receiving the petition, which reportedly contains signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the senatorial district.

However, the electoral body noted that the petition failed to include essential details such as the contact addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of the petitioners, as required under the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.

In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan, through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, in a letter dated March 26, accused INEC of compromising its neutrality by offering guidance to the petitioners instead of declaring the petition incompetent due to its procedural flaws.

The letter partly reads, “Your position as disclosed in your press release on March 25, 2025, signed by Sam Olumekun shows that the Commission has taken sides and has become partial in favour of the Petitioners in this case.

“The Commission has observed that the Petitioners’ Petition did not meet the threshold of the requirement of a Petition to recall a member, having not contained the required contact addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses in their covering letter forwarding the Petition as contained in Clause 1(f) of INEC Regulation and Guideline. The proper thing and step to have been taken is to declare the Petition as “incompetent” and subsequently disregard same.”

The embattled lawmaker said the proper step INEC should have taken to show it was unbiased in the matter was to declare the petition defective, which would have brought an end to the process.

She added, “Lawfully, the Commission is supposed to have declared the Petition as incompetent for being patently defective for the reasons stated above but surprisingly, the Commission, instead of disregarding the Petition for failure to meet the requirements, opted to take the role of an adviser to the Petitioners and so advised the Petitioners that once they provide the needed information that is not contained in the Petition by meeting the requirements, it shall commence the verification of the signatures in each polling units.

“We posit that the Commission has by this press release shown partisanship and partiality in favour of the Petitioner and has compromised the process.

“The proper step to take by the Commission, if the Commission will maintain its integrity and impartiality, is to declare the Petition as incompetent and defective and notify the Petitioners accordingly. Therefore, putting an end to this process at this stage.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan also pointed out that the addresses provided in the petition were limited to Okene, Kogi State, suggesting that the alleged signatures did not represent the entire senatorial district.

“Secondly, the address disclosed and provided in the petition according to your press release was Okene Kogi State, meaning that the two hundred and fifty signatories as contained in the petition came only from Okene, Kogi state, which seems more probable, ” She said.

She insisted that INEC’s decision to allow the petitioners to correct their errors rather than disqualifying the petition outright was a breach of due process, urging the commission to “do the needful and rebuild the public trust that is fast declining.
We still believe that the Commission will act rightly”.

The lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has tendered an apology to the former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili, over an altercation at the Senate on Tuesday.

It was reported that during the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee hearing on s3xual allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, and Ezekwesili engaged in verbal insults.

Ezekwesili told the Ebonyi North Senator and Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate to ‘shut up’, which caused Nwaebonyi to call her a ‘hooligan‘.

The former Minister also described him as a disgrace to the Senate; the Senator described her as a disgrace to womanhood.

On her ? handle, on Wednesday, the Kogi Central Senator lauded the former Minister of Solid Minerals for her commitment to integrity and courage.

She added that Ezekwesili took the insult for her (Natasha) and other women.

“Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, Ma’am, I apologize for the insults. Know you took them for me… for us … as a mother and as a leader. Know that you are a true icon of integrity, courage, and visionary leadership. Your unwavering commitment to good governance, education and democracy continues to inspire generations. A champion of accountability…Nigerians appreciate you. I celebrate your brilliance, resilience and selfless service. You are a hero,” she wrote.

Reacting, Oby Ezekwesili stated that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan would never walk alone in her fight against the leadership of the Senate.

Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, senator representing Ebonyi north, says he ranks higher by “stratification” to Oby Ezekwesili.

He also expressed regret over his choice of words to Ezekwesili, former minister of education, during the senate ethics committee hearing on Tuesday.

Nwaebonyi and Ezekwesili traded words during the senate panel hearing on a fresh petition submitted by Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended senator representing Kogi central.

The atmosphere grew tense when the former minister asked Nwaebonyi to shut up during the panel hearing.

The Ebonyi lawmaker had earlier criticised the former minister for first calling him a “hooligan” and ordering a serving senator to “shut up”.

Speaking during an interview on Arise TV, the deputy chief whip of the senate admitted that his remarks were inappropriate, taking into account Ezekwesili’s age.

Ezekwesili, the 61-year-old politician, served as the minister of solid minerals and the minister of education under former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“I must also say that I regret my choice of words towards her. She is old enough to be my mother,” Nwaebonyi said.

“However, her actions brought up my reaction. But having admitted publicly to what she said, I acknowledge that, and I commend her for it.”

Responding to whether such incidents deter female participation in politics, Nwaebonyi defended his record on encouraging women in politics.

“I’m one of those senators that has been supporting women’s emancipation and participation in politics,” he said.

“Respect is earned, not commanded. If you respect me, I respect you. If you yab me, I yab you.

“I am a senator of the Federal Republic by social stratification, I am higher than her in this country.

“She is supposed to respect me. She was a minister, but a senator is more senior than a minister.

“Respect is earned. She had no right to speak to me in that manner, telling me to shut up. That was immature.

“She got to her level by accident. But since she has now admitted publicly that she told me to shut up, I commend her for that.”

Late Tuesday, Ezekwesili admitted telling the lawmaker to shut up after the panel prevented them from speaking.

She added that Nwaebonyi’s reaction reflected the “indecorous behaviour” of some public officials in the country.

A bill seeking to empower the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to remove corrupt judges through a no-confidence vote, scaled second reading in the house of representatives on Tuesday. 

Sponsored by Afam Ogene, a member of the Labour Party (LP) representing Ogbaru federal constituency of Anambra, the bill aims to alter sections 231, 238, 250, 256, and 271 of the 1999 constitution, which deal with the procedure for the removal of judges.

CURRENT LAW 

Among other things, section 292 of the constitution states that “a judicial officer shall be removed from office in the case of chief justice of Nigeria, president of the court of appeal, chief judge of the federal high court, president of the national industrial court, chief judge of the high court of the federal capital territory (FCT), grand kadi of the Sharia court of appeal of the federal capital territory, and president of customary court of appeal of the federal capital territory, by the president acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the senate, praying that he be so removed for his inability to discharge the functions of his office or appointment (whether arising from infirmity of mind or of body) or for misconduct or contravention of the code of conduct.

“While the chief judge of a state, grand kadi of a Sharia court of appeal or president of a customary court of appeal of a state shall be removed from office by the governor acting on an address supported by a two-thirds majority of the house of assembly of the state.”

THE PROPOSED LAW

The proposed legislation intends to introduce new subsections to the aforementioned sections for the removal of corrupt justices and judges from their respective offices.

The bill seeks to confer powers on the NBA to receive petitions against any erring judicial officers, consider the defence of the petitioned officer, and if not satisfied, conduct a confidence vote.

If two-thirds of the members of the NBA in the annual general meeting or conference pass a vote of no confidence in the petitioned officer, then his/her continuation in office is immediately terminated.

“This implies that the judicial officer is presumed in the eyes of the law to have resigned from service,” the legislative brief reads.

Ogene said the essence of the bill is to provide an alternative constitutional mechanism for disciplining erring and corrupt judicial officers away from the “mundane role of the National Judicial Council (NJC), which is no longer potent in curbing the rot in our court and justice system”.

Two senior members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ayo Afolabi and Wale Oshun, have urged Nigerians, especially APC supporters, to reject the ongoing rumours suggesting that former Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, is part of a coalition aiming to oust President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

In separate phone interviews with The Guardian on Tuesday, both political figures condemned the claims, describing them as dangerous political propaganda intended to destabilize the polity.

They labeled the rumour as unfounded, malicious, and part of a broader conspiracy by opposition politicians to challenge President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Afolabi and Oshun jointly emphasized that the speculations about Fayemi’s involvement in the alleged opposition coalition were baseless and were being circulated to cause unnecessary division within the ruling party.

“This is absolutely unfounded and very malicious. It is a political ploy designed to create confusion and dislocation in the polity,” Oshun stated.

The APC’s Ekiti State spokesperson, Segun Dipe, also weighed in, dismissing rumours that the party or the presidency had plans to deny Governor Biodun Oyebanji a return ticket for the 2027 elections due to his supposed closeness to Fayemi.

Dipe’s response came amid growing rumours that the presidency might be unhappy with Fayemi’s alleged connections to the opposition coalition and, by extension, might take action against Oyebanji.

The speculation surfaced after reports that the presidency was dissatisfied with Fayemi’s alleged involvement in a group of politicians seeking to challenge President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

According to these reports, the presidency was reportedly planning to use Governor Oyebanji’s relationship with Fayemi to undermine his political future. However, both APC leaders rejected these claims, asserting that they were without merit.

Dipe clarified the party’s position, stating, “It is not true that the party or the presidency has concluded any plans regarding Governor Oyebanji’s return ticket. These are baseless rumors being peddled by political enemies to stir up trouble.”

Despite the swirling rumors, Afolabi, Oshun, and Dipe all reiterated that the APC remains united and focused on securing President Tinubu’s success in the 2027 elections.

They urged party members and Nigerians to ignore the misinformation and concentrate on the party’s objectives for the upcoming political cycle.

Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has commended the Super Eagles for their effort in their World Cup qualifier match against Zimbabwe in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom.
Naija News reported that Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup slimmed as they drew with Zimbabwe Warriors.

Victor Osimhen‘s header in the 74th minute that put the Eagles in the lead could not boost the chances of Nigeria as 90th minute strike of Zimbabwe’s 21-year-old Tawanda Chirewa caused a draw.

In a statement on Wednesday, Peter Obi lauded the Super Eagles for their resilience and dedication during the match.

“Yesterday (Tuesday), I traveled to Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital, where I joined a host of other sport-enthusiastic Nigerians to support the Super Eagles as they played the Warriors of Zimbabwe in their sixth match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.

“As usual, our team demonstrated the true Nigerian spirit of strength, resilience and dedication on the field of play. Football, and indeed sports, has remained a strong unifying factor for our nation battling with disunity. While we may not have clinched the victory on the field of play, our dear players have, again, won our hearts with their obvious display of sportsmanship.

“I sincerely appreciate our dear national football team and, indeed, everyone whose efforts and sacrifices got us far in this journey. Our labours were not in vain,” he said.