The Federal Government has expressed worry at the heightened rates of emigration of Nigerians, mostly skilled workforce.
Naija News reports that the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Tanko Sununu, said 1.4 million citizens left the country.
Sununu stated this during validation of the 2025 policy and its Integrated Implementation Plan in Abuja on Tuesday.
The Minister assured that the government planned to reverse the trend through the National Migration Policy.
He explained that the National Migration Policy would make migration more beneficial to the country in terms of knowledge, economy and health.
Sununu, however, emphasized the role of good governance in discouraging brain drain affecting the country.
The Minister said: “As of today, the Nigerian Population Commission will agree with me that over 1.4 million Nigerians emigrated outside and a lot of them are highly skilled.
“Fifty one percent of the migrants that leave Nigeria have knowledge of tertiary level of education and most of them are also health workers. This is causing a brain drain in Nigeria.
“With the right policies in place and the right information, the issue of brain drain can be addressed, and we would, in turn, improve our skill, improve and promote brain circulation within the country.
“The revised National Migration Policy seeks to strengthen institutional coherence, mainstream international best practices, and reinforce national ownership of migration governance.
“The policy would make migration more beneficial to Nigerians, improve the rights of migrants and also derive much benefit to Nigeria in terms of knowledge, economy, health and others.
“The policy has been addressed in such a way that it has provided a lot of knowledge . With the knowledge embedded in the policy, Nigerians would know the dangers of irregular migration.
“We also have to get the commitment of security agents and work with them because the issue of irregular migration is connected with insecurity witnessed in some parts of the country.”
Delta Governor Sheriff Oborevwori has expressed confidence that former Governor James Ibori will defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oborevwori spoke on Tuesday during a vigil mass at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Otu-Jeremi in Ughelli South Local Government Area.
The mass was held in honour of Amos Utuama, a former Deputy Governor, who died at 77.
Speaking at the event, Oborevwori emphasised the need for political unity within the state, saying the political family founded by Ibori had become scattered.
“We can only say the truth. If you are sentimental, the family will break, the centre cannot hold,” he said.
He revealed that he had directly asked Ibori when he plans to join the APC, expressing optimism that the former Governor would soon make the move.
“I asked him, ‘when are you going to join us?’ And I know he will join us very soon in the APC. I will receive our leader in Jesus’ name,” Oborevwori said.
Addressing Ibori directly, the Governor added, “You have created a big family and the family needs to be united.”
In December 2024, Ibori’s daughter, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, a member of the House of Representatives, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC.
Oborevwori, with other PDP heavyweights in Delta, joined the APC on April 23.
Aside from the Group Managing Directors of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries that were relieved of their duties yesterday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has also asked over 200 staff with a year to retirement to quit.
A reliable insider source in the NNPCL revealed to The Nation on Wednesday morning that the comprehensive list of the affected staff was not available yet.
He however noted that the affected ones know themselves.
His words: “What happened is that apart from Bala Wunti and the three GMDs of the refineries, NNPCL asked staff who have just one year in service to retire.”
NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, didn’t pick calls from The Nation to confirm the report.
But speaking with The Nation on the condition of anonymity, the insider source in NNPCL said: “Bala Wunti was not sacked but retired. He was also due to retire next year.”
The NNPCL Chief Executive Officer Engr Bashir Bayo Ojulari was said to have sacked Wunti and Onoja in his reshuffling of the management of the company.
Ojulari had a few days after assumption of office made some similar changes.
On April 4, he announced the appointment of an eight- man management team.
Troops of the 4 Brigade Nigerian Army led by the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Ebenezer Oduyebo, have uncovered a massive crime and ritual syndicate’s hideout in Benin City, Edo State.
Acting on a tip-off, the troops stormed a building within First Bank Estate, called Awesome Garden, located along the Benin-Sapele By-Pass in Ikpoba-Okha local government area of the State, where they arrested 31 suspects and rescued victims of a bizarre cybercrime and ritual-related criminal enterprise.
Those arrested were handed over to the Benin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further interrogation and prosecution.
Items recovered from the scene included a Toyota model vehicle, several smartphones, laptop computers, cash, a pot, fetish materials, and other incriminating items linked to ritual and cybercrime activities.
Already, preliminary investigations revealed that many of the suspects were lured to the location by the syndicate’s leader, identified as Mr. Marvin Osabhuoyen, who is currently on the run.
He was said to have promised his victims lucrative job offers abroad, only to force them into a web of criminal operations, including kidnapping, armed robbery, and cyber fraud.
Many of the victims were are from different parts of the country and had been detained in the building for periods ranging between one and two years without freedom of movement, living under fear and manipulation.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Oduyebo has commended the troops and other sister security agencies for their bravery, vigilance, and continued commitment to keeping Edo State free from criminal elements.
“The Brigade remains fully committed to its mission of ensuring safety and security for all residents of Edo State. This operation is a clear warning to criminal syndicates that their days are numbered,” he declared.
Former Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has expressed regret over his decision to run as the vice-presidential candidate alongside Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 presidential election, admitting it may have contradicted the wishes of his people.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, Okowa described his acceptance of the role as a misalignment with the prevailing sentiments in Delta State—an issue he said he has deeply reflected upon.
He offered insights into his political decisions, the internal shifts within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the growing support among Delta stakeholders for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
While defending his record in office, including infrastructure achievements, free maternal and child healthcare, and the performance of his successor, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Okowa acknowledged that joining Atiku’s ticket in 2023 came at a significant political cost.
“Even when we were campaigning, I realised our people were not interested in having another northerner come into power.
“But the decision had already been taken at the federal level by the party, and I had been nominated. Still, in retrospect, I now believe I should have gone with the will of my people,” he declared.
He linked the PDP’s failure in Delta during the presidential poll to that sentiment, acknowledging that while he ran out of loyalty to his party, the south was interested in producing President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.
However, Okowa was quick to point out that the tide turned just three weeks later in the governorship election, where PDP triumphed in 21 out of the 25 local governments.
“That showed the people still believed in us, believed in me. They said you’ve done well, and we will support the governor you have chosen.’ And they did,” he said.
On insinuations that his defection was to have his ‘sins forgiven,’ Okowa maintained that there were no sins to be given as he had not committed any, adding that he was never arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but only honoured an invitation by the commission.
Okowa said: “I did well for the people of the state. Petitions can be written by anybody, but whatever petitions are written, the right of investigation is with the EFCC.
“So, there are no fears concerning that at all. And I have never spoken to Adams Oshiomole; we talked for the first time only yesterday because we are of different political parts and because we are of different political parts we were not friends perse.”Political party merchandise
He defended his defection not as a personal political maneuver but as the result of extensive consultations across Delta State, adding that continued opposition politics had placed the state at a disadvantage in terms of federal access and influence.
Addressing the moral arguments against his defection to the APC, after serving in multiple positions under PDP, Okowa said he owes no one an apology.
“Yes, I was a key player in the PDP from the formative stages, but the PDP of today is not the same party we built in 1998.
“When you find that the values and vision you once believed in are no longer there, then you step away,” he said.
The Presidency has debunked the widely circulated reports claiming that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had sacked three Ministers, describing the story as a fabrication with no basis in fact.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, in a post on his verified X handle, @aonanuga, on Tuesday night, expressed deep concern over the dangerous trend.
The erroneous reports, which quickly gained traction on social media, claimed that President Tinubu had dismissed the Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu; the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.
Citing a non-existent statement allegedly issued by Onanuga, the reports misled the public and triggered widespread speculation.
Describing the development as not only irresponsible but dangerous to national stability, Onanuga called for decisive action against fake news merchants.
“Security agencies must urgently take action against fake news websites and platforms and the purveyors who fail to check the authenticity of the stories and make them go viral,” he said.
He emphasised that unchecked falsehoods pose a threat to democratic values and the integrity of the press, warning that freedoms must be exercised with responsibility.
“Press freedom and freedom of speech will not exist when some people can wake up and concoct their news and narratives without regard for truth.
“Fake news is simply licentiousness and must be criminalised,”Onanuga said.
He urged media organisations to uphold the ethics of journalism by verifying information before publication and advised the public to rely on official sources for government-related updates.
As of the time of this report, all three ministers named in the false story continue to serve in their respective roles.
The Presidency has made no official announcement regarding any cabinet reshuffle.
The call for criminalising fake news is likely to spark national conversation about the balance between free expression and the regulation of harmful content online—a debate that continues to gain urgency in Nigeria’s evolving media landscape.
Former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has revealed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was on the verge of dumping the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), signalling a major realignment within Nigeria’s political landscape.
Speaking during a live interview on Arise News Channel on Tuesday morning, monitored by our correspondent, Okowa disclosed that the 2023 PDP presidential flagbearer was preparing to exit the party amidst ongoing disenchantment with its internal crises and lack of strategic direction.
“I discussed the coalition with Atiku, who is on his way out of the PDP, before we moved to the APC,” Okowa stated, confirming growing speculation about Atiku’s future with the opposition.
Okowa, who recently defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside Delta State governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and other key PDP stakeholders in the State, explained that the decision followed months of intense consultations and reflection on the party’s dwindling prospects.
“We had various levels of meetings with several stakeholders, and even consulted some of our leaders who are not politicians before we came to this decision,” he said. “It was not just a decision of the governor or myself. It was the consensus of a broader political family in Delta.”
He cited the PDP’s internal disarray marked by leadership tussles, lack of unity, and absence of a coherent electoral strategy as key reasons behind the mass defection.
“It does not seem that a viable vehicle has been confirmed for that coalition, nor does it appear that a coalition could build strength in such a short period,” he added, distancing himself from the proposed grand opposition alliance being spearheaded by Atiku.
The former governor also threw his weight behind President Bola Tinubu’s administration, advocating for a full eight-year tenure to maintain political balance and national stability.
“For the stability of this nation, it is best for us to have him complete his eight-year tenure. Then the presidency can move back to the North. I believe that is the right thing,” Okowa said.
Drawing from his time as a two-term opposition governor, Okowa noted the limitations faced when disconnected from federal power.
“We tried to do our best in the state. We could not lay our hands on a lot of things that would have benefited us at the federal level,” he said, justifying the move to the APC as a strategic effort to “reconnect Delta State with the corridors of power in Abuja” and attract federal investment and development opportunities.
Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu, has firmly debunked allegations made by the newly elected President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Atiku Abubakar Isah, who accused him of leading thugs to disrupt the NANS inauguration in Abuja and threatening his life.
Isah had alleged in a phone interview with an online news platform that Seyi Tinubu attempted to stop the inauguration at The Wells Carlton Hotel in Abuja, claiming the president’s son surrounded the venue with armed men, locked down the premises, and even stood outside his hotel room with the intention of murdering him.
But, reacting to the allegations on Tuesday via his official Instagram handle, Seyi Tinubu dismissed the claims as entirely baseless and defamatory. He wrote, “Enough is enough with these fake stories and defamation of my character.” The message was accompanied by a screenshot of the report, which he labelled as “fake news.”
Sources close to the event said there was no credible evidence of Seyi’s presence at the venue, and guests reported no security breach or lockdown. Neither the hotel management nor law enforcement agencies confirmed any incident involving the president’s son.
Meanwhile, Seyi Tinubu’s camp has signalled that legal steps may be taken if the defamation continues unchecked.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has sacked top officials of the national oil company, about 27 days after the exit of its erstwhile Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mele Kyari.
However, it was learnt that several other lower and middle class staff were also affected by the restructuring drive, which was first reported by an online newspaper yesterday.
Top among those departing immediately are the Chief Upstream Investment Officer, NNPC Upstream Investment Services (NUIMS), Bala Wunti.
NUIMS is the investment management arm of the NNPC. It manages the Nigerian government’s investments in the upstream sector of the oil and gas industry, plus its equity holdings in Joint Venture (JV), Production Sharing Contract (PSC), and Service Contract (SC) companies.
Besides, NUIMS, a powerful unit in the company, oversees the Nigerian Petroleum Exchange (NipeX), an electronic platform for contracting in the upstream sector.
Others who were affected by the sackings included: The Managing Director of the Kaduna Refinery, Ibrahim Onoja as well the Chief Compliance Officer and former Managing Director of NNPC Trading, Lawal Sade.
But a source who confirmed the development to THISDAY, sought to downplay it, describing it as ‘routine’ and stressed that a number of those who were asked to leave their posts were already on their way out due to retirement; “Some people with 18 months to retirement were giving the option of early exit, other were giving lump sums to go while some were promoted to fill the vacant positions.”
Some have however insinuated that some of the firings had do with their closeness to the former GCEO Kyari who was fired by the President early this month. Wunti, for instance, was particularly close to Kyari when he held sway at the oil company. Aside from the top officials who were asked to leave, over 200 other employees were impacted, THISDAY understood.
Furthermore, Maryam Idrisu has now taken over as Managing Director of NNPC Trading, the unit responsible for all crude oil transactions, while Obioma Abangwu is now Chief Liaison Officer for board matters.
Apart from recent changes in the leadership of the company, the last time a mass purge took place was in September 2023, when the NNPC announced the exit of several employees and some management staff.
At the time, the company, in a statement, said the reorganisation was in line with its commitment to scale up its capabilities “through targeted talent management and equal opportunity for all Nigerians”, noting that only staff members with less than 15 months to retirement will be affected.
Earlier in the month, President Bola Tinubu removed Kyari as the GCEO of NNPC, replacing him with Bayo Ojulari. He also dissolved the NNPC board and appointed a new 11-man board led by Ahmadu Kida as non-executive chairman.
Multiple investment fraud: Crime Alert Security Network Boss Bags 63 Years Jail Term In Ibadan
AFOLABI
Justice Olusola Adetujoye of the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has convicted and sentenced Olaniyan Amos to 63 years in jail for multiple investment fraud.
Amos was convicted alongside his firm, Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited, on Monday.
They were prosecuted on 30-count charges by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibadan Zonal Directorate, bordering on obtaining by false pretences, an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.
This was contained in a statement by the Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, on Tuesday.
Count 21 of the charge reads, “That you Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited on or about 18th of June, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N995, 000.00 from Bada Titilope, when you falsely represented to him that the money is meant for registration and investment with Crime Alert Security Network with a promise of 30% return on investment in six weeks (30 working days), which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of obtaining money under false pretence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.”
Another charge reads, “That you Olaniyan Gbenga Amos and Detorrid Heritage Investment Limited on or about 29th of January, 2020, at Ibadan, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud obtained the sum of N920, 000.00 from Onifade Isaac Olawale, when you falsely represented to him that the money is meant for registration and investment with Crime Alert Security Network with a promise of 30% return on Investment in six weeks (30 working days), which representations you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence of Obtaining Money under false pretence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006.”
The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to him.
Upon his plea, the EFCC Counsel, Sanusi Galadanchi, opened the case on February 17, 2022 and called eight witnesses, tendered several exhibits marked “Exhibits A to H” and closed the case on January 24, 2023.
At the end of the prosecution’s case, the defendant filed a “no case submission” but was thrown out as the defendant was ordered by the court to enter his defence.
Subsequently, the defendant opened and closed its case on October 17th, 2024, where the first defendant testified for himself and on behalf of the 2nd defendant as a lone witness.
The court, after the presentation of the defendants’ case, adopted the final written addresses of both parties as judgment was reserved till April 28th, 2025.
At the resumption of the trial on Monday, April 28, 2025, Justice Adetujoye convicted and sentenced Amos to seven years imprisonment on each count of 6, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 and 24 but discharged and acquitted the defendant on 21 counts.
The court also ordered that the sentence should run concurrently and the convict must restitute the victims.
Amos was convicted and sentenced to seventy-five years imprisonment by Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, for a similar offence on December 14, 2023.
The convict has two other ongoing trials before the Federal High Courts in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Another journey by the convict to the Correctional Centre began when he was arrested and arraigned before Justice Olusola Adetujoye on December 14, 2021, by the EFCC.
He swindled several individuals under the pretext of investment ventures that led to the loss of money to the tune of over N1 billion by investors.
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Umar Damagun, the acting national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the party’s national legal adviser has been directed to take legal action over the defection of Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta, and other members to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Damagun addressed journalists in Abuja on Tuesday at the end of the party’s national working committee (NWC) meeting.
On Monday, Ifeanyi Okowa, former governor of Delta, and Oborevwori, his successor, alongside some stakeholders of the PDP in the state, formally defected to the APC.
Damagun said the party has decided to dissolve all the structures in Delta since the majority of the leaders have joined the APC.
The acting national chairman said the south-south zonal caretaker committee should oversee the affairs of Delta PDP pending the inauguration of an interim leadership.
“We also instructed the national legal adviser to recover our mandate that they have taken away,” he said.
“The fortune of this party cannot be left in the hands of our adversaries, so we will take legal action to retrieve those mandates.
“I want to use this opportunity to tell Nigerians that elections cannot be done by leaders but by people. I believe this (defection) should not weigh us down.”
Damagun urged PDP members to remain calm, adding that the 2027 presidential election is between Nigerians and the APC.
More than two decades after the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) of 2003 transformed Nigeria’s telecommunications landscape, key stakeholders have called for an urgent review of the legislation to address growing gaps and adapt to rapidly evolving digital realities.
Critical stakeholders at a high-profile colloquium organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Communications, in Lagos, on Tuesday, stressed the need to reassess the 22-year-old law to ensure it remains fit for purpose in an era defined by 5G, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity threats, and growing digital inequality.
The executive vice chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, said the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003 was visionary for its time, but the realities of 2025 demand a re-examination of its provisions. “We must update the legal framework to anticipate future opportunities and address today’s complex challenges,” Maida averred.
While acknowledging the Act’s role in liberalising the telecom sector, spurring growth, and catalysing digital transformation, Maida pointed out that it now struggles to accommodate present-day technological disruptions and economic shifts. He cited the sector’s impressive gains: from fewer than 300,000 mobile subscribers in 2001 to over 150 million today, and a 13.94 percent contribution to the GDP as of Q3 2024. Yet, he said, these achievements are being undermined by rising operational costs, inflation, rural connectivity gaps, and emerging cybersecurity threats.
“This colloquium must serve as a launchpad for bold reform. We need a legal and regulatory framework that not only protects consumers and fosters competition but also ensures Nigeria’s leadership in the global digital economy. Urban centres enjoy robust connectivity, while rural communities still face limited access. Operators are strained by infrastructure deficits, and consumers are demanding more affordable and reliable services. The current legal framework cannot adequately respond to these new realities,” he noted.
Echoing these concerns, the chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Communications, Rt. Hon. Peter Akpatason, emphasised the imperative for the Act to evolve alongside global digital trends. “The 2003 Act brought us this far, but now we must envision a more dynamic and responsive regulatory environment. This means confronting digital exclusion, strengthening cybersecurity, and encouraging innovation and investment in cutting-edge technologies,” Akpatason said.
The colloquium, themed “The Nigerian Communications Act 2003, 22 Years After: Reassessing the Nigerian Communications Act, Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions for a Digital Nigeria,” brought together regulators, industry operators, consumer advocates, academics, and lawmakers to evaluate the legislation’s strengths and gaps.
Key concerns highlighted at the event included widening digital divide between urban and rural Nigeria; Cybersecurity vulnerabilities in an increasingly digital society; Outdated regulatory tools that cannot accommodate technologies like blockchain, AI, and quantum computing; Investment disincentives due to regulatory rigidity and high infrastructure costs and Limited access to telecommunications services for underserved communities.
The speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, in his keynote message, described the colloquium as a timely step aligned with the 10th House’s legislative agenda. “This is an opportunity to reform and refocus the communications sector,” he said, stressing the role of digital infrastructure in economic growth and social inclusion.
Quoting international benchmarks, the speaker’s message delivered by the deputy chief Whip, Hon. Ibrahim Isiaka, cited World Bank and OECD studies which show strong correlations between broadband penetration and GDP growth. He noted that while digital financial services—such as Opay, Moniepoint, and Kuda—have integrated underserved populations into the economy, digital fear and cybercrime still limit broader adoption. “Cyber fraud, phishing, identity theft—these are eroding trust and impeding progress,” he warned.
The speaker also outlined several legislative efforts aimed at tackling these issues, including the Cybercrime Act (2015), Nigeria Data Protection Act (2023), and pending bills like the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill. He confirmed the National Assembly’s intent to amend the Nigerian Communications Act as part of its ongoing digital transformation agenda.
As deliberations continue, expectations remain high that the colloquium will produce a framework that not only reflects today’s digital realities but also anticipates future demands in Nigeria’s pursuit of a more inclusive and globally competitive communications sector.
Stakeholders therefore called for a comprehensive revision of the Act that would foster innovation through public-private partnerships, research and development initiatives, and incentives for digital entrepreneurship.
[Leadership]
The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has urged the Police Service Commission (PSC) board to initiate reforms like technology and professionalism in policing, saying it has the backing of the National Assembly.
Akpabio, who was represented by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, during the Police Service Commission Board Induction/Strategic Management session in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, said the National Assembly was ready to give the necessary legislative backing for the review of outdated laws.
While calling for the introduction of a reward system for outstanding police officers, Akpabio said Nigeria must begin to institutionalise merit, discipline and integrity over mediocrity, favouritism and impunity, adding that reforms in the police require courage that would disrupt the status quo.
He urged the PSC to adopt policies that would make the police protectors instead of predators, and deliver justice instead of judgment, and advocated the adaptation of community policing models that emphasise empathy, conflict resolution and neighbourhood engagement like Japan and Finland.
[DailyTrust]
The North-Central All Progressives Congress, APC, Forum has rejected calls for President Bola Tinubu to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate in the 2027 election.
The position of the North-Central APC Forum was made known in a statement released by its Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, in Abuja on Wednesday.
The APC Forum’s position followed agitation by some North-Central stakeholders, under the aegis of North-Central Renaissance Movement, who are calling on Tinubu to drop Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 election.
The Movement asked Tinubu to pick a running mate from the North-Central as a condition for the zone to support his reelection.
According to the Movement, the North-Central zone should produce Nigeria’s Vice President in 2027.
However, rejecting the calls for Shettima’s replacement as Vice President, the North-Central APC Forum declared that its earlier endorsement of Tinubu for the 2027 election extended to the Vice President.
According to the statement signed by Zazzaga, a member of the APC campaign council for the 2023 election, North-Central APC stakeholders are satisfied with Shettima, and are not involved in the calls for his replacement ahead of the next election.
“The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum rejects calls on President Bola Tinubu to drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate in 2027.
“The calls are not coming from stakeholders of the APC in the North-Central. We disassociate ourselves from the calls and we hereby emphasize that our endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 election extends the Vice President, Kashim Shettima.
“For emphasis, we hereby again endorse President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for the 2027 election.
“We urge Mr President not to pay any attention to the antics of individuals and groups who are trying to derail his administration, which has recorded so much achievements towards repositioning Nigeria on the part of progress and sustainable growth.
“We are satisfied with the role being played by Vice President Kashim Shettima in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, and we also commend the harmonious working relationship between the President and the Vice President, which is being envied by those in the opposition, who are now trying to sow seeds of discord in the APC government.
“The North-Central APC Forum stands on the Tinubu/Shettima ticket with which our party emerged victorious in the 2023 election,” the statement said.
The APC Forum, which had earlier promised to deliver six million votes for Tinubu in 2027, insisted on its determination to achieve the feat, as the people of the North-Central are happy with the President’s administration.
“We also restate that the six million votes we promised Mr President are intact. We are happy with the position of Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the ministerial portfolios and other appointments given to the North-Central, as well as infrastructural projects in the zone.
“However, if there are other opportunities, including infrastructural projects, that can come to the zone, we will also appreciate them,” the statement added.
The APC Forum noted that, currently, in addition to the high profile position of SGF, occupied by Senator George Akume from Benue State, the North-Central zone is holding key ministerial portfolios, as well as some other important appointments in the Federal Government.
The statement identified key ministries headed by ministers from the North-Central to include: Ministry of Justice, headed by the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, from Kwara; Ministry of Information and National Orientation, headed by Mohammed Idris from Niger State; Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, headed by Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda from Plateau; Ministry of Women Affairs, headed by Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim from Nasarawa; Ministry of Special Duties, Intergovernmental Affairs, headed by Zephaniah Bitrus Jisalo, from the Federal Capital Territory, and Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, headed by Prof Joseph Utsev from Benue.
It would be recalled that in December 2024, the North-Central All APC Forum endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office.
The Forum declared that it decided to endorse Tinubu for a second term because his administration has extended several opportunities to the North-Central zone since he assumed office as President in 2023.
“The Forum equally evaluated the programmes and initiatives of the Federal Government and it is evident that, since the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria, no other President has given the North-Central as many opportunities as much as President Bola Tinubu.
“No other President has brought as many infrastructural projects to the North-Central as the President Tinubu administration.
“After assessing the state of the nation, the North-Central APC Forum is of the view that President Bola Tinubu has done well to earn a second term in office.
“An assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s policies also shows that he is taking the country in the right direction and deserves the support of all Nigerians to get the country there.
“The economic policies introduced by President Tinubu are already making the expected impact, with the recent strengthening of the Naira in the foreign exchange market, improvement in volume of oil production, and rise in foreign reserves, among others.
“President Tinubu’s policies in the petroleum sector have already eliminated scarcity, and we believe that, with time, Nigerians will witness reduction in the cost of petroleum products, which would reverse inflation in the county.
“The APC North-Central Forum believes President Bola Tinubu deserves a second term to midwife these reforms which are already bearing fruit, and we call on all Nigerians to support his administration to improve the situation in the country.
“After extensive considerations, North-Central APC Forum has given the President a passmark on insecurity, appointments, infrastructure, economy and other areas. We stand firmly behind President Bola Tinubu as his bold leadership has brought significant progress to our region, and we believe he is the right person to continue leading Nigeria towards greater prosperity.
“We urge all Nigerians to rally behind the President and support him for a second term, to enable his administration to deepen the gains of his reform policies.
“Just as we worked for his election in 2023, the North-Central APC Forum assures President Tinubu and all his supporters that we will again work for his reelection in 2027,” the North-Central APC Forum said in a statement released to announce the endorsement of President Tinubu for the 2027 election.
[DailyPost]