Hot Source*Insists no one can win presidency without it
*Says they’re tired of playing identity politics
*Malami insists Al-Makura, Masari-led group can’t speak for CPC bloc ahead 2027
*Ex-AGF is paper tiger with no electoral value, APC chief declares
Chuks Okocha Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
Immediate past Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has said the north would declare its stand on the 2027 presidential run in the next six months
He also boasted that no politician could win the Nigerian Presidency in 2027 without the support of the Northern region.
Speaking in a video interview obtained by THISDAY, Baba-Ahmed, who appeared alongside Professor Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), emphasised that the North would soon define its political direction as it was tired of identity politics.
This was as a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, accused former governors of Nasarawa and Katsina States, Senator Umaru Al-Makura and Bello Aminu Masari, of declaring support for the Bola Tinubu government for personal gains, saying they could not speak for the bloc of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
But the National Vice Chairman of the APC, North West, Hon. Muhammad Datti, has described Malami as a paper tiger, and a politician without any electoral value.
However, Baba-Ahmed, who was once Chief of Staff to the former Senate President said, “In the next six months, the North will decide where it stands.
“If the rest of the country wants to join us, fine. If not, we will go our own way. One thing is clear: nobody can become President of Nigeria without Northern support,” he asserted.
He lamented the state of the nation and urged Northerners to resist divisive and deceptive politicians ahead of the next general election.
“We want a government that understands our problems and can address them. After Buhari’s eight years, we became wiser. Now, we are in another government, and we are still crying. Is crying all we know how to do?” he asked.
Reflecting on past experiences, he said the North had suffered greatly during the Boko Haram terrorism, which affected all groups – Muslims, Christians, Fulani, Baju, and others – highlighting the need for unity.
“Before Buhari became president, Boko Haram was bombing mosques, churches, Abuja, and Lagos. That was a time Northerners had to unite. Today, no politician can just show up and expect northerners to fall in line. Who are you?” he questioned.
He warned against further marginalisation of the North, noting that continued disregard for the region would have consequences.
“If they plan to rig the election, they should be careful. It won’t be good for Nigeria. The North is watching. Elders, masses, and interest groups will soon say ‘enough is enough.’ The injustice and sidelining must stop,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed also urged the region to look beyond identity politics, stressing that competence and integrity should guide voter decisions.
“We are tired of being deceived into voting based on religion or ethnicity. That era is over. We just want a right leader let him falls from heaven, we just want someone who will solve our problems,” he said.
He concluded by asserting that the Northern electorate had learned hard lessons from past choices and would approach 2027 with a new mindset.
Malami: Al-Makura, Masari, Others Can’t Speak for CPC Bloc
Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has derided the former governors of Nasarawa and Katsina States, Senator Umaru Al-Makura and Bello Aminu Masari for declaring support for the Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) for personal gains.
Malami, a strong member of the Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) and a close political ally of former President Muhammadu Buhari, declared that the Al-Makura-led members of the CPC within the APC had no mandate whatsoever to speak for the bloc by insisting that they were not pulling out of the APC.
The former Attorney General specifically said Al-Makura and his co-travelers, like Aminu Masari were not in a position to speak for and on behalf of the CPC bloc, stressing that they did what they did basically for personal reasons.
Malami, who stated these through his Special Assistant on Media, Muhammed Bello Doka, explained that the CPC bloc, which was the platform former President Buhari used, remained the only bloc that could speak on whether or not it is leaving the APC and not Al-Makura’s group.
“When you say CPC bloc, one needs to know who they are referring to. Is it the likes of Senator Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Adamu Adamu, Masari, and Faruk Adamu Aliyu, who a few months ago had been throwing Buhari under the bus in desperate attempts to gain relevance that should decide for the bloc?”
Malami described the duo of Al-Makura and Masari-led group as purely personal, with no connection with CPC bloc whatsoever.
The former Attorney General of the Federation noted that the group were merely seeking relevance in the APC for personal benefits.
Commenting on the rumours of his possible defection to the Social Democracy Party (SDP), Malami said it was not true but only in the realm and imagination of those peddling the rumours.
APC Chief to Ex-AGF: You’re Paper Tiger
The National Vice Chairman of the APC, North West, Hon. Muhammad Datti, has described Malami as a paper tiger, and a politician without electoral value.
He added that Malami could not speak for the leaders of the defunct CPC, being one of the legacy parties that formed the ruling APC
Following the recent defection of a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasi El-Rufai — a CPC member — from the APC to the SDP, there were insinuations that some key members of the defunct CPC bloc within the ruling party would follow suit.
However, some key figures from the CPC bloc within the APC had last week declared that they had no plans to abandon the APC.
They also declared their unalloyed support to the APC-led government under the able leadership of President Tinubu.
The CPC bloc included a former governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura; a former speaker of the House of Representatives and ex-governor of Katsina State, Hon. Aminu Masari; for Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu; and a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Faruk Adamu Aliyu, among many others.
But Malami, in a statement, said the CPC bloc leaders should only speak for themselves and not the entire bloc.
However, Datti, in a statement issued Sunday said Malami lacked any merit to attack the CPC leaders.
“I was utterly stupefied when I saw the statement credited to Malami. What he tried to do was to deride and denigrate the key figures of the CPC bloc in the APC.
“It is laughable that Malami had the temerity to castigate Al-Makura, who was the only governor elected on the CPC platform in 2011. Maybe he should also be reminded that Masari was the Deputy National Chairman of the APC during its formation — the highest office held by a CPC bloc member during the merger.
“Both Al-Makura and Masari are political heavy weights, who won governorship elections twice. They are not like Malami, who is a political lightweight, a paper tiger, and a politician without electoral value.
“During the CPC struggles, the party did not win even a councillorship seat in Kebbi, Malami’s home state. Lest we forget, Malami had obtained the APC governorship forms to contest for the governor of Kebbi State in 2023.
“But he chickened out, having sensed that he did not possess the electoral value to clinch the ticket. So, of what benefit is he to any political movement?,” Datti quoted.
The APC chieftain, who served as the CPC House Caucus Leader between 2011 and 2015, added that Malami and his co-travelers were only trying to reap where they did not sow, having worked tirelessly against the APC during the presidential election — for President Bola Tinubu to lose the polls.
He added: “It is still fresh in our memories that the likes of Malami constituted themselves as the powerful cabal under the Buhari government, and worked vigorously against the candidature of President Tinubu.
“Even before the 2023 presidential contest, right from Buhari’s first term in office, they made sure that Tinubu was effectively sidelined and marginalised in the scheme of things. But Asiwaju did not rock the boat; he stayed put in the party and remained committed to its ideals.
“Today, the Malamis of this world, having realised that they could not eat their cake and have it, have now resorted to political gyration, all in an attempt to dump the same party that made them what they are today. Why not emulate Tinubu?”
Ekiti APC Caucus Backs Tinubu, Oyebanji
Meanwhile, Ekiti State Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday, unanimously endorsed President Tinubu and Governor Abiodun Oyebanji for a second term in office.
It cited their exemplary leadership qualities and impactful policies as reason for their endorsement.
The endorsement, passed at a special Caucus meeting of the state chapter of APC held at Iyin Ekiti, was attended by the first civilian governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; the immediate past governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and Oyebanji.
Also in attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, former Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu; serving and former members of the National and State Assembly, Party Chieftains, Among others.
Speaking while moving the endorsement motion, which was ratified through a very loud voice vote, Adaramodu, commended Tinubu for his decisive economic reforms that have revitalised the country’s economy as well as his comprehensive security strategies that have addressed the root cause of insecurity in the country within one and half years in office.
He said for these reasons and several other positive outcomes, the president deserved to be supported for re-election in order to sustain the gains and ensure their long term effect.
While moving the motion for the endorsement of Oyebanji for re- election, Speaker Aribasoye, said the governor had demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities characterised by his unwavering commitment to the welfare of Ekiti people and all round development of the state.
He praised the governor for making the party acceptable to the people through his sterling performance, people-oriented policies and programmes as well as consistently prioritising the needs and aspirations of the citizens, thereby fostering trust and unity across the state.
Earlier, the State APC Chairman, Sola Elesin, who thanked Oyebanji for making the party attractive and acceptable to all indigenes of the state through his remarkable development strides, maintained that no town in the state was left out of various government’s interventions which included infrastructure development, rural electrification, healthcare improvement, agric revolution, and youth empowerment, among others.
Also, Fayemi, in his remarks, said, “Generally speaking, I think we have a lot to thank God for and we must thank our Governor, everywhere we turn to its BAO. Our leader and I do exchange notes regularly. When I was coming back to the country, yesterday morning, I travelled with somebody from the Senate from London and he said thank you very much for the Governor.
“He said I went to Ekiti for Senator Bamidele’s conferment of honourary degree, you need to extend Ekiti magic to the rest of the country to help us. This is all due to the way our Governor has conducted himself and how he conveyed his sense of humility and service to the party both at the national and the state levels, and that is why we are all gathered here to happily work together with him to accomplish the task of greater development for the people,” he said.
Responding, Oyebanji expressed his gratitude to leaders of the party for their belief in his leadership acumen and also thanked President Tinubu for his support and for creating a conducive environment that has allowed states to thrive through bold national policies and reforms.
