Former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Mohammed Lukman, has suspended his membership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the opposition coalition.
Lukman announced his decision in a message addressed to the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, and copied to coalition leaders.

He attributed his exit to what he described as persistent hostile treatment by former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and his associates over the leadership and direction of the coalition in Kaduna State.

“This may come to you as a disappointment. I am very sorry. I just can’t continue to bear the painful hostile treatment I keep getting from some leaders from Kaduna, especially Mallam Nasir,” he wrote.

Lukman alleged that decisions concerning the coalition’s leadership in Kaduna were manipulated to sideline him, saying he had been reduced “to the status of a bastard” within a coalition he had worked to build.He said he had spent more than a year working to reconcile and unite opposition leaders in Kaduna but had instead become the target of what he described as an orchestrated campaign by El-Rufai and his supporters.
“For Mallam Nasir and his people, I am the problem. I have decided to resolve the problem for them and everyone,” he said.

The former APC chieftain said he decided to suspend both his ADC and coalition memberships because it was better “to be inactive than to continue to chase dashed expectations.”

Lukman also questioned the coalition’s commitment to democratic values, accusing some of its leaders of replicating the same political practices they had previously criticised.

He further alleged that former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, was engaging individuals in Kaduna whose commitment to building the ADC was questionable while ignoring those who had invested in strengthening the party’s structures.

According to him, the developments had steadily eroded his confidence in the coalition and reduced the ADC to what he described as “a marginal participant” in preparations for the 2027 general elections.

He, however, expressed appreciation to Senator David Mark and other national leaders of the coalition, saying his decision was not a protest against the party’s national leadership but against what he described as the treatment he received from El-Rufai and some coalition leaders in Kaduna.

 

-Source: Daily Trust

Niger State Governor, Umaru Mohammed Bago, has officially confirmed that he will retain his Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba, as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election, putting to rest speculation surrounding the composition of his re-election ticket. Government

Governor Bago made the announcement on Tuesday during a gathering at the Government House in Minna, where he declared that Garba would remain his deputy on the 2027 ticket. He further disclosed that Garba’s name would be submitted alongside his to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as required by law.

The governor explained that the Nigerian Constitution mandates every governorship candidate to nominate a deputy when submitting nomination forms to INEC. He noted that recent rumours had created uncertainty over his choice of running mate, prompting him to publicly reaffirm Garba’s position.

Bago stated that the decision was intended to end months of speculation and reassure party members and supporters that Yakubu Garba remains his preferred deputy for the next electoral cycle.