Protesters are on the rampage over the killing of three community guards in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State, setting ablaze the council secretariat and palace of the traditional head of Naka, Ter Nagi, Chief Daniel Abomtse.

Our correspondent reports that the hotel belonging to Senator Titus Zam was allegedly torched by the rampaging protesters in Naka, the headquarters of Gwer West LGA.

Residents said that trouble started in the early hours of Tuesday after youths from the area retrieved the bodies of the guards killed by bandits on Monday evening at a village in Gwer West and brought same to the local government headquarters.

“The youths are angry because the bandits are killing our people and the state government appears not to be doing anything. Since the corpses of the guards arrived this morning, protesters have burnt the council secretariat, Ter Nagi’s palace and a hotel belonging to Senator Titus Zam, representing Benue North West at the national assembly,” a resident who preferred anonymity said.

Victor Ormin, the Chairman of Gwer West LGA told our correspondent on the phone on Tuesday morning that the protest started by youths in the area over the killing of three Benue Civil Protection Guards was hijacked by hoodlums who set the council secretariat and the palace of Ter Naka on fire.

“Yes, they have burned the secretariat and the Ter Naka’s palace. Three protection guards were killed in Garuwa (council ward in Gwer West) by armed invaders so when their bodies were brought to Naka, it sparked protest from the youth and it’s now being taken over by hoodlums,” he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Catherine Anene, had yet to respond to calls to her telephone by our correspondent.

[DailyTrust]

The Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, Mark Rutte, has urged European Union leaders to engage with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to enhance cooperation on security matters.

This comes following the EU’s efforts to bolster its defense posture in response to the US President Donald Trump’s criticism of European security spending.

Trump’s call for NATO member states to increase their defense contributions to 5 percent of GDP has prompted discussions about strengthening ties with non-EU countries, including Turkey.

Trump, in January, criticised the EU for its low investments in NATO’s defense capabilities, while US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth affirmed that Washington had no plans to reduce its military presence in Europe.

Recall that during the Munich Security Conference, US Vice President JD Vance met with Rutte, stressing the need for EU countries to raise their defense spending and for NATO to ensure a more balanced distribution of defense contributions among its members.

[DailyPost]

The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last governorship election in Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi challenging the competence of the joint ticket of Lucky Aitedatiwa and his running mate in the election, Olayide Adelami.

In a judgment on Tuesday, a five-member panel, presided over by Justice Mohammed Garba, was unanimous in holding that the appeal was without merit and that the appellants lacked the locus standi to query Adelami’s nomination.

The court awarded a cost of N8million against the PDP and Ajayi, at N2m each for the four respondents – Adelami, Aitedatiwa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The PDP and Ajayi had claimed that Adelami presented forged West African Examination Council (WAEC) certificate to INEC and that he equally possessed multiple identities.

They had prayed the court hold that Adelami was not qualified to contest the election by virtue of the alleged forged certificate and proceed to void the joint ticket on which Aitedatiwa and Adelami contested the election on the platform of the APC. 

Details shortly…

[TheNation]

Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies tumbled on Tuesday as concerns over the US economy and trade tensions grew.

Bitcoin dropped 3.2% to $79,937 after hitting a low of $76,624. Ethereum fell sharply by 7.5% to $1,911. The global crypto market cap declined 4.3% to $2.6 trillion, The Economist reports.

Solana, XRP, Cardano and Dogecoin also suffered losses, with Dogecoin plunging 8.5%.

Investor confidence weakened after former US President Donald Trump, in a Fox News interview, mentioned a “period of transition” but did not clarify if his tariff policies might lead to a recession. 

His remarks caused declines across cryptocurrencies, stocks, and the US dollar while Treasury yields also dropped.

“The crypto market is seeing its major downturn with Bitcoin falling under $80,000 and Ethereum recording a 16-month low of around $1,800,” said Avinash Shekhar, Co-Founder & CEO of Pi42.

“Fears of a coming recession and the overall market sell-offs are spurring this pullback.”

Macroeconomic factors like inflation and interest rates continue to drive volatility.

“The upcoming Job Openings and Labor Turnover data would be crucial for bulls to take control.

“A positive outcome data could help BTC reclaim the $84,000 mark,” said Edul Patel, CEO of Mudrex.

Bitcoin’s market cap fell to $1.585 trillion, with a dominance of 61.04%.

Trading volume surged 53.14% to $58.13 billion.

“Bitcoin’s ability to reclaim and hold $80,000 remains critical for overall market stability,” noted Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Giottus.

[Punch]

Atiku Bagudu, minister of budget and economic planning, says the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will not exceed the 5 percent limit on ways and means financing to the federal government.

Bagudu spoke on the 2025 budget in collaboration with KPMG on Arise Television on Monday.

Ways and means is a loan facility through which the CBN finances the federal government’s budget shortfalls.

Minister said the CBN’s guidelines already limit the amount available to the government under its ways and means facilities to 5 percent in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

This, Bagudu said, will boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s ability to manage its debt.

The minister stressed that the government will not rely on the CBN to finance its N14 trillion deficit but will explore innovative financing approaches.

“Under no circumstance will the Central Bank be going above the legal limit of 5 per cent, I think that should comport the economy that we are not going to have recourse to,” he said.

“Because we are also going to market in different ways, innovative financing or approaches, the local bonds have been issued, where governments have raised money.

“This represents a statement of intention, just to ensure that those whom we have borrowed from will be confident that we will have enough to meet our debt service obligation.

“If as we anticipate, economic conditions will continue to improve, maybe we may not need to spend after that in debt service.”

On his part, Wale Edun, minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, said the federal government prioritises macroeconomic stability, leveraging exchange rate stability, trade surplus, and increased oil production to strengthen Nigeria’s global position.

He added that the country’s foreign reserves have now surpassed $40 billion, reflecting confidence in its economic policies, as the government aims for 7 percent annual growth.

In September 2024, Edun, said the federal government had “exited” servicing its debts through ways and means, a factor analysts often partly blame for high inflation.

In his Independence Day speech last year, President Bola Tinubu said the federal government has cleared over N30 trillion in ways and means advances.

The federal government has confirmed that the Naira-for-crude-oil swap deal remains in place, countering recent reports of its termination at the end of this month.

The clarification followed reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has ended the agreement with local refiners including the Dangote Refinery.

Chairman of the Technical Sub-Committee on Crude-for-Naira initiative, Zacch Adedeji, responding to the reports said there is no decision at the policy level to discontinue the initiative.

Adedeji said these reports do not reflect the realities of the ongoing work under the Federal Executive Council Initiative on Domestic Sales of Crude Oil and Refined Products in Naira.

“Our attention has been drawn to reports suggesting that the Naira-based crude oil supply arrangement with local refineries has been discontinued, forcing them to rely solely on international crude purchases.

“As the committee driving the implementation of this initiative, we wish to provide an update on the Federal Executive Council initiative and confirm as follows: The Naira-Based Domestic Sales Framework Remains in Place.

“The policy framework enabling the sale of crude oil in naira for domestic refining remains in force. The initiative was designed to ensure supply stability and optimise the utilisation of local refining capacity.

“There has been no decision at the policy level to discontinue this approach nor is it being considered. After implementing the policy for some months, evidence abounds that it is the right way to go and it will continue to help the economy.

“The engagement process for crude oil supply to domestic refineries therefore remains in place by structured agreements, balancing factors such as availability, demand, and market conditions.

“There is no exclusion of local refineries from access to domestic crude. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is actively ensuring compliance with the Domestic Crude Oil Obligations provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.”

Adedeji, who is also the chair of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), said that the framework for domestic crude transactions is designed to promote a competitive and efficient pricing environment.
“We remain committed to ensuring the efficient execution of this initiative in line with its core objectives – enhancing local refining, reducing foreign exchange exposure, and stabilising the domestic fuel supply,” he said.

[Leadership]

Politics has been variously defined as ‘authoritative allocation of values or “who gets what when and how”. But I think in terms of intrigue that goes into balancing the interest of pressure groups and public interest, deviousness and ruthlessness of office seekers and for our purpose in this write up ‘politics as the art of the possible will be more appropriate (Otto Von Bismarck, German statesman and First Chancellor of Unified Germany 1815-1898).

The truth is that not all office seekers or office holders are politicians. Politicians are a special breed of selfless public servants who are not deterred by the fact they that are hardly trusted by the public they serve who often see them as corrupt, devious and men of many words. These largely misunderstood patriots ruled and may sometimes be addressed as their excellences, but others call the tune. Unfortunately, no matter how much politicians are detested, our survival as an organized society depends on their resourcefulness and brinkmanship.

Of course, bluffing Governor Similayi Fubara who had all his past battle fought for him is not a politician. In fact he is not smart enough to learn from our recent history.

We once had a Raji Babatunde Fashola, a non-politician but a very smart guy as governor of Lagos State. He was not his party’s but his godfather’s choice. When he had a slight disagreement with his godfather, all those who had wanted his job, rose up in his defence not because they loved him, but to spite his godfather. Opposition parties were dangling their party’s’ ticket in his face in case he was denied his party’s ticket for a second term.

But instead of swallowing the poison as Fubara did, he went for an international engagement where he gave a lecture and announced to the whole world that “Tinubu made me governor”. That became newspaper headlines in both local and international newspaper the following day. The godfather was humbled. If the godfather today takes credit for landmark projects like the Lagos rail line and Atlantic City, it was because his trusted godson, the actualiser, unlike Ambode who ignored some of the projects during his four years tenure, remained faithful to his godfather and his dream project.

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, following some disagreement with Obasanjo also joined forces with his estranged godfather’s political foes including James Ibori who also headed the Yar’Adua group that did not want Jonathan to succeed the ailing President Yar’Adua. This was long after he had declared publicly that apart from God and his biological parents, Obasanjo was the next most important personality in is life. Jonathan was hijacked by the late pa Edwin Clark, who gave himself the title of ’father of the president’ to spite Obasanjo. Jonathan forgot his battle was fought by the likes of Tunde Bakare on the streets of Lagos and Abuja with the ‘doctrine of necessity’ slogan. The rest is history.

Today, facing the same scenario, Fubara, like Jonathan, teamed up with enemies of Wike, his estranged godfather including Imo Ikenga Ugochinyere, who has today become Fubara’s interpreter of court pronouncements. Others include PDP stalwarts in borrowed robe of media men who would not forgive Wike for bringing PDP down during the 2023 elections. Some of them pretend to be news anchors without appreciating that the greatest attributes of a news anchor include  journalistic integrity, professionalism  and ability to be ‘silent and listen”. These men lionized Fubara, encouraged him to stand up to his estranged godfather and talked him out of his initial undertaking to implement term of truce reached when the president first intervened.

Unfortunately, Fubara still does not understand that the only people benefiting from the tragedy he has inadvertently brought upon his people are these self-serving advisers and media promoters who smile to the banks at the expense of besieged people of Rivers.

For instance, ‘News commercialisation’ which refers to situation “whereby the electronic media report as news or news analysis a commercial message by an unidentified or unidentifiable sponsor giving the audience the impression that news is fair, objective and socially responsible”(Nnorom,1994) is not cheap. The 30 minutes slot cannot be anything less than N20m. That is what someone coughs out to allow the likes of Ikenga Ugochinyere to speak without substance on TV for 30 minutes in the name of fighting Fubara’s war. He was pathetic to watch last week on Fubara’s favourite TV platform as he gave his own interpretation of the Supreme Court judgment after which he urged Fubara to ‘carry on’ the battle.

The above forces that exploited Fubara’s lack of capacity to understand that sometimes in political warfare , you may have to stoop to conquer, were behind his missing of an historic opportunity provided by last week landmark  Supreme Court judgment to end his people’s nightmare after two years of his unstable government.

The Supreme Court judgment was straight forward.

The court ruled there is no evidence that the 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), because without evidence presented before the court, in the eyes of the law, no defection took place and consequently the status quo in the House of Assembly must remain.

It criticized the governor for behaving likes a despot by demolishing the House of Assembly complex and preventing the 27 lawmakers from sitting. It also condemned Fubara for destroying of Rivers State over his fear of impeachment

“Since the executive arm of the government has chosen to collapse the legislature to enable him to govern without the legislature as a despot, the Supreme Court held that “As it is, there is no government in Rivers State”.

It held that “The doctrine of necessity cannot be invoked to justify the continued existence of a deliberately contrived illegal or unconstitutional status quo.

That “political disagreements cannot justify these attacks and contempt for the rule of law by the governor of a state or any person.

That “The part of the judgment of the Court of Appeal, affirming the judgment of the Federal High Court in suit No. FHC/AB)/CS/984/2024 is hereby affirmed.

That “The said judgment of the Federal High Court in suit No. FHC/AB)/CS/984/2024 is hereby restored.

That “For the avoidance of doubt, it is hereby ordered that the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Accountant General of the Federation should forthwith stop releasing and paying to the Government of Rivers State, its organs,… until an Appropriation Law is made by Rivers State House of Assembly constituted as prescribed by the 1999 Constitution.

That “The Rt. Honourable Martin Chike Amaewhule and the other 26 members should forthwith resume unhindered sitting as Speaker and members respectively of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

With all the roads blocked, if only Fubara understands politics as the art of the possible, and had without the meddlesomeness of elders and politicians on both sides of the aisle who speak from both sides of the mouth, picked up the phone to congratulate the speaker of his state House of Assembly and his colleagues over their victory at the court and offer to forward the 2025 budget and the list of his commissioners as directed by the Supreme Court, the following day.

And let us for a moment imagine Fubara with awesome apparatus of his office storming Wike’s victory church thanksgiving in Abuja and insisting Rivers State seat of power remains in his house until he agrees to join him for another thanksgiving in Port Harcourt to convince the mass of Rivers people in whose name they all swore, that the battle was over.

Of course Fubara would have seized the initiative while Wike would have been humbled.

Unfortunately, Fubara who cannot appreciate the worth of the office he never fought for will rather keep on playing the ostrich. Whilst he claims to wait for certified copy of the court judgment to start complying with the Supreme Court judgment, that has not stopped him from starting preparation for the conduct of a new local government election.  A few days after informing his street boys to wait for signals, a trending video of AK-47 wielding militants in the creeks threatening to attack oil installations emerged. The Punch gave an elaborate coverage to them and their demand.

Ijaw youths have also joined the fray in support of Fubara, the first Rivers governor of Ijaw ethnic extraction.

The question now is with Fubara’s resolve to continue waging war against his own government, politicians admitting treachery against their state, elders speaking from both side of the mouth while our once beautiful ‘Garden City’ turns into a city of blood by militants groomed and armed by Rivers’ successive governors, who is going to save Rivers?

The Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress, on Monday, dismissed moves by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to galvanise opposition figures towards unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.

They accused El-Rufai of being driven by “an inordinate ambition that is destined to fail” in his defection to the Social Democratic Party.

Also on Monday, the APC noted that El-Rufai’s plan to mobilise against Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 would not produce any significant outcomes.

El-Rufai, earlier on Monday, announced his defection from the APC to the opposition SDP, vowing to mobilise against the APC government in 2027.

“I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and by-elections,” El-Rufai stated.

Citing irreconcilable differences with the APC leadership, El-Rufai expressed disappointment in the ruling party, stating that over the past two years, the party had strayed from its progressive principles.

He highlighted his previous efforts to address internal issues privately and publicly, which he felt were ignored, leading to his decision to seek an alternative platform that aligns with his values.

In a resignation letter submitted to his ward in Kaduna State and shared on his X account, El-Rufai stated, “As a founding member of the All Progressives Congress, I have fond memories of working with other compatriots to negotiate the merger of political parties that created the APC.

“Since 2013, I have hoped that my personal values and those of the APC will continue to align until I choose to retire from politics.

“Developments in the last two years confirm that those who currently control and run the APC do not desire to acknowledge, much less address, the party’s unhealthy situation.

“I have raised concerns in private and, more recently, in public regarding the party’s capricious trajectory.

“Therefore, at this point in my political journey, I have come to the conclusion that I must seek another political platform to pursue the progressive values I cherish.

“Founders rightly feel attached towards institutions they helped create, but one must be pragmatic enough to admit when a divergence appears unbridgeable.”

It added, “I have diligently served the APC and made my contributions to its viability as a political platform, but I recognize that the party has since strayed and left me stuck in the vision of its well-meaning founding fathers and mothers.

“As a loyal party man, I worked to help secure the APC’s election victories in 2015, 2019 and 2023. I was one of the many governors elected on the party’s platform in 2015 and 2019 that stood for certain democratic and progressive principles to advance nation-building.”

El-Rufai confirmed he had submitted his resignation letter to the ruling party and further explained that after consulting with his mentors, colleagues and supporters, he decided to join the SDP in preparation for the 2027 general election.

“Without prejudice to this decision, as a member of the SDP, I will focus on engaging with and persuading other opposition leaders and parties to join us and congregate under a unified democratic platform to challenge the APC in all elections and bye-elections between now and 2027 by the grace of God,” he said.

Presidency tackles ex-gov

The Presidency, however, said El-Rufai’s switch to the SDP was a flawed move if he intended to unseat the governing party.

The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communications, Daniel Bwala, stated that while El-Rufai has the constitutional right to change parties, his motives will be closely examined in the coming days.

Bwala, in a post on his verified X handle, @DanielBwala, downplayed El-Rufai’s political significance in politics, arguing that his relevance was neither sudden nor extraordinary.

He criticised the former governor’s decision to side with opposition figures, saying that attempting to unseat the incumbent government was not necessarily an ideological change.

Bwala wrote, “Senior, @elrufai, I read the news today that you resigned from APC to join SDP. Well, I have nothing against you because you exercised your constitutional right.

“However, the motive is what we would interrogate in the coming days and remind Nigerians that you are not a phenomenon that emerges like a clap of thunder out of a blue sky.

“We would intellectually remind you that associating with sore losers to unseat the incumbent is not an ideology, neither is it progressivism; It is simply an inordinate ambition that is destined to fail.”

In its reaction, the Kaduna APC said it was not worried by El-Rufai’s exit from the party, describing it as political gyration.

Speaking to journalists in Kaduna on Monday, the Kaduna APC Secretary, Yahaya Baba-Pate, said the party remained focused on securing the state for President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.

Pate expressed confidence in the party’s growing strength in the state, pointing to the influx of prominent politicians into the party.

He assured APC members that El-Rufai’s departure would not impact the party’s prospects.

Pate said, “We are unperturbed by former Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s defection to another party. Our main focus in Kaduna is on how to deliver the state to both President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani in 2027.

“The APC in Kaduna State is growing day by day, judging from the calibre of politicians streaming into the party daily.

“So, we are not disturbed by anybody defecting to another party based on our governor’s inclusive governance in the state.

“We are not disturbed and we are not going to lose our sleep over El-Rufai’s moves. The party in the state is growing more than before.”

The former Federal Capital Territory minister had been associating with the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and other opposition political figures of late.

At a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, held in Abuja in January, El-Rufai asked the opposition parties in the country to unite to face the APC.

Also at the event were Atiku, a former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi; representative of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, among others.

El-Rufai, after the conference, granted an interview on Arise TV, where he blasted the leadership of the party for derailing from the vision of the founding fathers.

He criticised the National Executive Council and the Board of Trustees of the ruling party for failing to convene meetings throughout last year.

After the interview, he visited the national chairman of the SDP, Musa Garbam and the leadership of the Kaduna State chapter of the PDP.

He skipped a meeting of the APC national caucus and National Executive Council held last month in Abuja, claiming he did not get the invite.

The former Kaduna governor met with former President Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend, followed by a trip to Lagos to meet with former Osun State governor and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and the founder of the Citadel Global Community Church and former APC presidential aspirant, Pastor Tunde Bakare.

While the specifics of El-Rufai’s discussions with the two figures were not disclosed, the visits were believed to be part of his political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general election.

He rounded off his activities for Sunday with the breaking of fast at Atiku’s residence in Abuja.

Less than 24 hours after their meeting on Sunday evening, Atiku and El-Rufai were again seen together on Monday afternoon at the burial of a classmate of the former vice president, Prof Kharisu Chukkol, at the National Mosque, Abuja.

Posting the photo on his X handle, Atiku wrote, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. With total submission to the will of the Almighty Allah, I joined others at the funeral prayer of my classmate, Prof Kharisu Chukkol, at the National Mosque, Abuja.

“May his family be comforted. I pray that Allah will forgive his sins and grant him Jannatul Firdaus. Amin. -AA.”

Sani carpets ex-gov

A former lawmaker, Shehu Sani, poohed-poohed El-Rufai’s move to the SDP, saying it would not alter the political landscape of the state.

Sani, who represented the Kaduna Central Senatorial District in the 8th National Assembly, noted that El-Rufai’s political relevance and influence had waned.

“Leaving APC for SDP wouldn’t make any difference for someone with no political relevance again,” he declared.

Sani also expressed the assurance that both Tinubu and Sani would secure re-election in 2027.

“But one thing is sure, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani will be voted again,” he said.

Defection premature – Lukman

The former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the APC and a key strategist in the ongoing proposed coalition among opposition parties, Salihu Lukman, bemoaned the defection of El-Rufai to the SDP.

Lukman, a loyalist of the ex-governor, said the defection was too premature and was not the kind of collective move they earlier projected.

The former Director-General of the Progressives Governors Forum disclosed this in an interview with some selected journalists in Abuja.

He said, “Yes, I am close to Mallam El-Rufai to the extent that we come from the same state and were in the same party.

“I had the privilege of being nominated by him to serve on the National Working Committee of the APC. Of course, as everybody knows, we have our own disagreements.

“It (defection) is expected. Even after the interview he granted on Arise TV, you can see the handwriting. However, I expected that he should have been a bit patient for us to walk out as a group, based on the ongoing negotiation.

“But he knows better, and I do hope his decision is not going to become like a kind of breakaway from whatever we are doing. I hope that in the end, we should be able to reconcile and work together under one platform.”

When asked if his camp and some key northern elites would join El-Rufai in the SDP, Lukman expressed reservations about the leadership of the opposition party.

The former APC chieftain, however, noted that they might take their chances if certain conditions were met.

He stated, “The challenge is whether SDP will submit itself to some of the conditions that we believe are necessary.

“Frankly speaking, unlike most conventional politicians, most conventional politicians who just want a platform where they will present candidates and use it to win elections, there are a few of us who believe the issue is beyond that.

“What Nigerians need is a platform that will promote political competition in the country. If you remember, the challenge Nigerians had with the PDP was the problem of imposition of candidates.

“When the APC came and promised ‘change’, the expectation was that we would change the culture of imposition.

“Unfortunately, we have failed in that. In fact, it has become worse. If things continue as they are, you can predict that President Tinubu will become the candidate of APC, and you can predict all the first-time governors of APC will emerge as the candidate of APC, whether they are popular in their states or not.”

He added, “You can also predict all legislators at federal and state levels, whether they have performed or not, will return. So long as they are in the good books of Asiwaju and the party leadership, they will be returned.

“So, we may move if the SDP meets the conditions I have highlighted. We are in discussion, no doubt about it. If they meet it tomorrow, fine.”

PDP, Utomi-led NCFront disagree

While the Pat Utomi-led National Consultative Front embraced El-Rufai’s return to the opposition, describing him as a strong and influential figure in the proposed mega coalition, the PDP referred to his defection to the SDP as a mistake.

In its response, the Pat Utomi-led National Consultative Front welcomed El-Rufai back to the opposition, describing him as a powerful and influential figure in the planned mega coalition.

NCFront’s Director-General, Olawale Okunniyi, praised El-Rufai’s coalition-building experience—particularly his role in establishing the APC—as a valuable asset in the ongoing talks to create a political alliance to challenge the APC in the 2027 elections.

Speaking to The PUNCH, Okunniyi highlighted El-Rufai’s negotiation skills, his experience as a former governor, and his strong political support in the northern region as crucial to the opposition’s strategy.

While noting that the SDP was one of the platforms being considered, Okunniyi mentioned that discussions on the coalition’s chosen platform were still ongoing and should be concluded by July.

He stated, “El-Rufai, coming from the North and being a former governor who previously collaborated with General Muhammadu Buhari, is a significant force. He cannot be underestimated.

“He has successfully built coalitions before, facilitated high-level discussions, and played a vital role in promoting an alternative political platform. His experience makes him a formidable and influential force.

“Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is once again welcomed back to the fold of the opposition in Nigeria, just as he was embraced into the Congress for Progressive Change in 2012/2013 during the formation of the APC.

“It appears that he and others within the APC are working to establish their opposition platform, enabling them to actively engage in the ongoing consultations and discussions aimed at creating a mega coalition party to challenge the ruling party.”

Okunniyi also disclosed that a national political summit for opposition stakeholders was planned for July, where a final decision on the coalition’s platform would be made.

He, however, said the decision would be made through a bottom-up approach, ensuring the selected party reflected the interests of all involved stakeholders.

“Discussions regarding the opposition platform for the 2027 elections have reached an advanced stage.

“El-Rufai and his allies must strategically align themselves with a credible opposition platform to effectively participate in the ongoing consultations and negotiations.

“They cannot claim to represent the APC in these opposition engagements,” he explained.

He further noted that a mega-platform of opposition stakeholders was expected to emerge in the coming months, based on extensive consultations and a consensus-building process.

“One certainty is that whichever platform is ultimately chosen must undergo rebranding and restructuring to accommodate the diverse interests involved in these negotiations,” he said.

Okunniyi added that while forming a new political party remains an option—provided the Independent National Electoral Commission does not pose an obstacle—existing opposition parties such as the Labour Party, SDP, PDP, African Democratic Congress, and New Nigeria People’s Party could also be adopted.

The PDP National Deputy Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, however, referred to El-Rufai’s defection to the SDP as a mistake.

Osadolor, in an interview with The PUNCH, pointed out that a strong politician like El-Rufai should have joined the PDP, which he called the most powerful opposition party in Nigeria.

He stated, “El-Rufai’s defection from the APC further confirms the issues within the ruling party. He is a critical stakeholder in Northwest politics.

“He is a great strategist and a valuable asset that any strong political party would want to have. However, I believe he made a mistake by joining the SDP.

“The PDP platform remains the most credible and viable opposition party in Nigeria, with all the necessary reach to challenge the APC.”

The SDP presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Adewole Adebayo, welcomed the former Kaduna State governor to the party.

Writing on his verified X handle, @Pres_Adebayo, he said: “On behalf of the teeming members of the SDP and patriotic democrats who believe in Nigeria and her promise of inevitable greatness, I heartily welcome my dear brother El-Rufai to our party.

“With the hardworking and sagacious Mallam joining our ranks, an avid worker for the people has been enlisted in our forces against poverty and insecurity.

“Now is the time for us to put our collective shoulders behind the efforts to fulfil Chapter 2 of the Constitution and rescue Nigerians from bad governance and underdevelopment to restore #HopeAgain 2027 to the suffering masses callously left behind in the locust years of the APC and its co-traveller PDP.”

He emphasised that all genuine democrats and true nationalists who believed in order, decency and honesty were welcome to the SDP, “where we are governed by law, not men, the constitution not constipation of money or personal ambition.”

Adebayo added, “Together, following the law, the constitution and the manifesto of our party, we can set a good example of clean and ethical politics to emulate and rally Nigeria to the forefront of the liberation of Africa and peoples of the Black World.

“Good politics begets good governance. Let no one sit on the fence any further. There is no time to waste. Join us on the March again. God bless Nigeria.”

[Punch]