Politics
APC Governors Call For Collaboration To Tackle Nigerian Cash Crisis
Amidst the ongoing cash crisis and controversy surrounding the naira redesign policy, All Progressives Congress (APC) governors held a crucial meeting with the party leadership in Abuja to discuss the situation and find a resolution.
At the important meeting held on Sunday at the national headquarters of the All Progressives Congress, no less than 10 governors were in attendance.
The meeting was between the state chief executives and the National Chairman of the party, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
This significant gathering took place just one week before the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, February 25th.
Several governors, including Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Mai Mala Buni (Yobe), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), and Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), as well as members of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were present at the meeting.
However, the absence of several governors, including Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and most of their counterparts in the South, was noted.
In addition to the aforementioned attendees, representatives from the governors of Imo and Katsina states were also present.
The party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, later joined the meeting at 4.45pm.
Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, addressed journalists before the closed-door meeting on Sunday, stating that the meeting was important and an emergency.
He said “it is my privilege to welcome you to this important and emergency meeting. We have found a situation where there is a pressing need to get together as standard bearers of our states in Nigeria who were elected on the platforms of our great party, the APC.
The programme’s agenda included ‘Interactions’ and ‘Preparations for the general election,’ but according to Senator Abdullahi Adamu’s speech, the discussion also covered the current friction between the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and some aggrieved governors over the naira redesign policy.
Over the last four weeks, this policy has caused considerable hardship for many Nigerians.
Contrary to an order of the Supreme Court that the Federal Government should suspend the February 10 deadline for swapping the old naira notes with new ones, the Central Bank of Nigeria refused to shift the deadline.
The apex court order followed a suit filed by Zamfara, Kogi and Kaduna state governments against the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.
States including Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Kano, Sokoto, Ogun and Cross River have also joined the suit as co-plaintiffs.
The situation was further exacerbated by the President’s declaration that only the old N200 should co-exist with the new naira notes. This policy has caused significant hardship for many Nigerians, with the recent protests being an expression of their frustration.
Following the President’s broadcast, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State addressed the people of his state, stating that the directive to reintroduce only the old N200 banknote was wrong and not a viable solution to curb the cash crunch in the country.
An angry Governor El-Rufai did not mince words during his address to the people of his state. He stated that the old N1,000 and N500 notes were still legal tenders in Kaduna state, and that the aim of the naira redesign was to scuttle the general election and pave the way for an interim government.
Following the conclusion of the APC NWC and governors’ meeting, which ended at 7:15 pm, journalists were invited into the venue, where the chairman addressed them regarding the outcome of the discussion.
During his address to journalists after the meeting, Senator Abdullahi Adamu lamented that while the naira redesign was a good move, the timing and pain it had caused Nigerians made it necessary for both the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to avoid misleading the President.
He said, “I’m sure you are quite aware of the fact that a meeting comprising the APC governors was held today and the leadership of the NWC of our great party was summoned.
“We had a discussion and at the end of the discussion, we have resolved as follows: That this resolution is without prejudice or whatsoever to the case that is lying at the Supreme Court at this point in time. This has to do with the issue of currency redesign.
“That the meeting is urging his Excellency, Mr President, to intervene in resolving issues that are causing this great difficulties to the economy,”
According to reports, during the meeting, many of the governors present expressed their opinion that there was a need to urge the President to obey the court order.
According to a report, Governor Bagudu of Kebbi state, who spoke first after the chairman’s opening address, rallied other governors and the APC NWC to reject the CBN policy during the meeting.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has affirmed the leadership of former Senate President David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing a suit filed by House of Representatives member Leke Abejide challenging the party’s leadership.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman held that Abejide’s suit lacked merit and upheld the preliminary objections filed by the ADC, its former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
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The judge ruled that the court lacked the jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of the ADC, describing the matter as non-justiciable. He further held that Abejide failed to establish that any of his legal rights had been violated by the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.
Justice Liman also ruled that the lawmaker failed to exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism before approaching the court, a factor that further weakened his case.
The court resolved all three issues raised in the substantive suit in favour of the defendants.
On the question of whether David Mark and Aregbesola emerged as the party’s leaders in accordance with the law, Justice Liman held that the transfer of leadership from former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu to Mark did not violate any provision of the ADC constitution.
The court further agreed that the July 2, 2025 meeting, where the leadership transition began, was a stakeholders’ meeting that preceded the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on July 29, 2025.
According to the judgment, the NEC meeting, which was monitored by INEC, validly produced David Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary of the party.
Justice Liman consequently declared that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola complied with the ADC constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and all relevant party regulations.
The court also imposed financial penalties on the plaintiff and his counsel.
Abejide was ordered to pay ₦2 million each to all the defendants, while his lawyer was fined ₦10 million in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, was filed on February 15 by Abejide against the ADC, Ralph Nwosu, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and INEC as the first to fifth defendants respectively.
In the originating summons, Abejide sought eight reliefs before the court, including an order nullifying Nwosu’s handover of the party’s leadership to David Mark and Aregbesola during the July 2, 2025 stakeholders’ meeting held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
He argued that the handover was illegal, unlawful, null and void and urged the court to restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary.
The lawmaker also sought a perpetual injunction restraining INEC from recognising the duo as leaders of the ADC, maintaining that their emergence did not comply with the requirements of Section 82 of the Electoral Act and other relevant provisions.
However, the court rejected all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, affirming that the leadership transition was valid and carried out in accordance with the law.
The judgment marks a significant legal victory for the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC, effectively ending the legal challenge against the party’s current leadership and strengthening its position ahead of political realignments and preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has appointed actor-turned-politician and party chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, as his official campaign spokesperson.
Okonkwo announced the appointment in a statement shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday, expressing gratitude to Atiku for entrusting him with the responsibility.
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“I give God all the glory for being appointed by His Excellency Atiku Abubakar as his spokesperson. I thank His Excellency for the immense confidence reposed in me,” he said.
The former Labour Party presidential campaign spokesperson described the appointment as a testament to Atiku’s leadership style, noting that the former vice president embraces dialogue, inclusiveness and compromise rather than taking offence when associates express differing opinions.
According to Okonkwo, discussions with Atiku and other leaders of the ADC addressed concerns surrounding the political interests of the South-East within the framework of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the current political realities.
He said the engagement reassured stakeholders that the interests of the South-East had been recognised and safeguarded despite the prevailing challenges.
Okonkwo also appreciated Dr. Kashim Imam, former ADC National Chairman Ralphs Nwosu, and Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Special Duties, Dr. Ekene Onwuka, for their efforts in strengthening the party ahead of the 2027 general election.
He further thanked his family, supporters and friends for their prayers and encouragement, while seeking continued support as he assumes the new role.
“I still covet your prayers for wisdom, courage, provision and protection needed to carry out this challenging responsibility, which will usher in a glorious and great Nigeria,” he added.
The appointment comes weeks after Okonkwo publicly criticised reports that the ADC was considering a South-South vice-presidential candidate, arguing that such a decision would further marginalise the South-East, which has not produced either the President or Vice President since 1999.
Despite the concerns, the ADC later named former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate after the former vice president secured the party’s presidential ticket.
The Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Abia State, Peter Azubuike, has expressed confidence that the party will record a landslide victory in the 2027 general elections, declaring that it would emerge victorious “before 2 p.m.” if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were to conduct an election today.
Azubuike made the assertion on Monday while addressing journalists at the party’s state secretariat in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
According to him, the Labour Party has overcome its internal challenges and is now fully united and mobilised ahead of the next general elections.
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He maintained that the party remains the strongest political force at the grassroots in Abia, pointing to its current political representation across the state as evidence of its popularity.
“If INEC conducts an election today, we will win before 2 p.m. because we are the only political party with a strong grassroots presence. We have 184 councillors, 17 local government chairmen, and 20 members of the Abia State House of Assembly. That is evidence of our widespread acceptance and grassroots support,” Azubuike said.
The LP chairman also defended the party’s adoption of the direct primary system for selecting candidates ahead of the 2027 elections, describing it as a transparent process that promotes fairness and reduces internal disputes.
He dismissed reports suggesting that only one nomination form was sold in some constituencies, insisting that several aspirants contested for party tickets in different areas.
“It is not true that only one form was sold. In several constituencies, multiple aspirants purchased forms. In fact, not all sitting lawmakers secured the ticket. A clear example is the Osisioma/Obingwa/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency, where the incumbent did not get the return ticket,” he stated.
Azubuike said the party had continued to strengthen its structures from the ward level to the state level and remained optimistic of another overwhelming victory in 2027.
He further stated that the faction of the Labour Party led by Senator Nenadi Usman is the one recognised by INEC, adding that the leadership had already been granted access to the electoral body’s portal for uploading candidates.
The party, he added, remains committed to internal democracy, grassroots mobilisation and effective leadership as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
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