Politics
Abiodun: I never paid $50,000 to Rufai for bringing investors to Ogun
Abiodun: I never paid $50,000 to Rufai for bringing investors to Ogun
…says no single investor came through former aide
The Ogun State government has refuted the report published by an online news medium, People’s Gazette, that the state governor, Dapo Abiodun, was paying $50,000 to his former aide, Bidemi Rufai, each time he introduced people to him.
In a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abiodun, Kunle Somorin, on Sunday, Rufai, who was appointed by the governor as his Senior Special Assistant on Housing, never had any close relationship with the governor, prior to his appointment.
According to Somorin, Rufai, like other aides of the governor, was recommended from his ward for the appointment, and not because of any special favour he offered to the governor during his gubernatorial campaigns in 2019.
The statement further faulted and denied the claims in the report that Rufai was being paid $2,000 as his salary, which according to it is not only “outrageous but baseless. Salaries and wages are fixed and no member of the government is permitted to any other allowances not known to law.
Somorin added that records in the state never showed that Rufai, while serving in the state, brought a single investor or facilitated any investment from the United States of America, wondering how the former political aide would then be paid $50,000 for a deal that never took place.
‘Bidemi Rufai was appointed as.a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Housing, and was nominated for appointment barely three months before he was arrested.
“He had not resumed formerly and had no official office to transact business. He wasn’t part of the Ogun State Economic Management Team and have got no input into the state government activities. His appointment was based on his activities in his ward. He didn’t sit in the State Executive Council Meetings and couldn’t have had inputs in policies of the state government.
“The governor had no deal with Rufai on any transaction . He brought not a single one. They can check with the US embassy”, Somorin stated in the statement.
The CPS noted further that Governor Abiodun being a law abiding person and respecter of the rule of law, immediately suspended Rufai after his arrest for fraud in the USA and later terminated his appointment, even before his conviction for the crime by the US court.
He stated Nigeria is currently in the political season, which is an auspicious time for unscrupulous politicians to attack or sponsor attacks against the incumbent, hence, timing of the concocted and untrue news.
He said that the political enemies of the governor, who are perhaps not happy with his rising profile, particularly in terms of huge foreign investment drive and infrastructural development of Ogun, might want to play up the issue of Rufai to tarnish the governor’s image.
Somorin, while calling on the people of the state to disregard the report as a mere “attention seeking” gambit, said that Governor Abiodun would not rather be perturbed by the report, but remain focussed on his mission to position Ogun as number one investors’ preferred destination in the country.
He added that the governor would not be distracted by the antics of political traducers within and without Ogun, submitting that Governor Abiodun will continue to be just, fair, accountable and equitable governor he promised to be.
*Renewed Hope Ambassadors Step Into the Next Phase
Fresh from the successful APC 2026 National Convention, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors National, Zonal, and State leadership gathered in Abuja over the weekend, for its fourth strategic meeting, setting the tone for nationwide grassroots activation ahead of 2027.
Chaired by Governor Hope Uzodinma (Imo State) the Director General and National Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors, alongside Deputy Director-General, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State, and Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State as Secretary, the session reinforced one clear direction: One Party. One Message. One Mobilization whilst also laying out a strategic roadmap for the activation of the network across all communities in Nigeria.
Backed by the strength of 31 APC-led states, the Renewed Hope Agenda is taking Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message of progress and reform to every corner of Nigeria.
From bold economic restructuring to initiatives like NELFUND, the increase in the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, and strategic investments in critical sectors, including PNiCGI, the mission remains clear: helping Nigerians understand both the purpose and the progress of the Renewed Hope vision.
This is coordination at scale. This is grassroots engagement with purpose. This is the next phase of Renewed Hope with One Party, One Message, and One Mobilisation framework
#RenewedHopeAmbassadors #APC #WeAreAPC
Governor Bago Inaugurates APC Digital Media Sub-Committee Ahead of National Convention.
Governor Umaru Bago has inaugurated the Digital Media Sub-Committee for the forthcoming National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), scheduled to hold on March 27 and 28, 2026 in Abuja.
Chairing the sub-committee, Governor Bago tasked members with the responsibility of effectively communicating the party’s manifesto to the public.
He emphasized the need to leverage social media platforms to highlight the achievements and ongoing efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that communication gaps have posed challenges that must now be decisively addressed.
The Co-Chair of the sub-committee, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, echoed the Governor’s position, urging members to project the activities of both the party and the government to a broader audience.
He called for a deliberate and coordinated effort to showcase the party’s achievements and policy direction, stressing the importance of shaping a compelling and consistent narrative across all digital platforms.
Delivering a presentation to the committee, Otega Ogra, SSA to the President on New Media, who serves as Secretary of the sub-committee, outlined strategic focus areas to guide the team’s operations.
His presentation highlighted communication priorities and actionable steps to achieve the committee’s mandate and strengthen the party’s digital engagement.
VP Shettima Set to Lead Delegation to Zamfara as Governor Dauda Lawal Formally Joins APC
The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has finalized plans to receive Vice President Kashim Shettima for the formal defection and reception of Governor Dauda Lawal into the ruling party, scheduled to take place on Tuesday.
State APC Chairman, Tukur Danfulani Maikatako, disclosed this during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held in Gusau, the state capital. He noted that the Vice President would be joined by the party’s national leadership to mark what he described as a landmark political realignment in the state.
Maikatako expressed the party’s excitement over Governor Lawal’s return, recalling that Zamfara had historically been an APC stronghold and that the Governor was previously a bona fide member of the party before his earlier exit.
“We all know that Zamfara has long been one of the APC’s stronghold states, where the defected Governor was once a bona fide member. Now that he has decided to return home, having been satisfied that the APC remains his second choice after the one he left for obvious reasons,” Maikatako stated.
The Chairman called on all party faithful across the 147 wards in the state’s 14 local government areas to turn out en masse to honour the Vice President’s visit. He emphasized that the event was strategically positioned to bolster the party’s popularity and strengthen its structures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a strong appeal for unity, Maikatako urged members to set aside all factional tendencies, stressing that the APC remained one political family with shared goals, particularly the ambition to make Zamfara and Nigeria great again.
Echoing similar sentiments, a former state APC Chairman, Lawal M. Liman, appealed to members to cascade the message to their wards and local government areas. He reinforced the need for cohesion, noting that the party’s collective strength would be critical to achieving success in future elections.
All eyes are now on Gusau as the ruling party prepares for a high-profile political gathering expected to further consolidate its influence in Zamfara State.
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