OPINION: A CALL FOR MERITOCRACY- WHY IMPOSITION COULD BE APC’s ACHILLES’ HEEL IN KADUNA CENTRAL

By Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani

The beauty of a thriving democracy lies in the power of the people to choose leaders based on track records, credibility, and the collective will of the constituents. However, a recent video featuring the Kaduna State Commissioner for Local Government, Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos, has raised fundamental questions about the direction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna State. In the video, the Commissioner purportedly endorsed Comrade Shehu Sani for the Kaduna Central Senatorial seat, citing “competence” as the yardstick.

As a stakeholder and a dedicated member of the APC from Afaka Ward, Igabi Local Government, I find this development not only disappointing but politically alarming. It forces us to ask a critical question: Are the Kaduna State Government and Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos working to strengthen the APC, or are they inadvertently orchestrating its downfall?
The Lessons of History
We must look back to 2015 to understand how the APC rose to power. It was a movement built on the rejection of the PDP’s culture of imposition. The PDP fell because it ignored the grassroots and forced incompetent or unpopular candidates upon the electorate.
Endorsing Comrade Shehu Sani to contest against a formidable and grounded figure like Rt. Hon. Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, FCNA, is to put it bluntly political suicide. To ignore the grassroots influence and legislative pedigree of Zailani in favor of an endorsement that lacks popular backing is a gamble the party cannot afford.

A Matter of Credibility and Competence
The claim that this endorsement is based on “competence” holds little water when placed under scrutiny. In the political landscape of Kaduna Central, does Comrade Shehu Sani possess the current credibility to withstand the influence and reach of Rt. Hon. Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani?
While I am a staunch supporter of Zailani, my loyalty is first to the progress of Kaduna and the success of our party. If it can be proven that Shehu Sani is the superior candidate through a transparent process, I would be the first to follow. But politics is not played on the pages of newspapers or in closed-door endorsements; it is played in the hearts of the voters.

A Warning to Stakeholders
To the Kaduna State Government, Hon. Sadiq Mamman Lagos, and all party stakeholders: we must tread with extreme caution. There is an old wisdom that warns: *It takes only one jump to fall into a well, but a thousand jumps will not get you out.* Imposing a candidate against the grain of popular demand is that one jump. If the APC loses Kaduna Central because it failed to listen to the people, the repercussions will be felt far beyond this senatorial district.

The Path Forward: Free and Fair Primaries
The solution is simple and remains the bedrock of the APC’s progressive ideology: Let there be a free and fair primary election.

If the leadership believes in the competence of their preferred candidate, they should have no fear of a democratic contest. Let the aspirants go to the field. Let the voters decide. Only a candidate who emerges through a transparent process will have the moral authority and the grassroots fire required to win the general election.
We must prioritize the survival of the party over personal interests. Let us not repeat the mistakes of the past.

*Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani (Sadaukin Garkuwan Keffi/Betara Biu) writes from Afaka Ward, Igabi Local Government, Kaduna State.*

CITY BOY MOVEMENT STORMS DELTA, UNVEILS SECRETARIAT, EXPANDS EXCO

ASABA, DELTA STATE — The City Boy Movement has intensified its grassroots push in the South-South with the unveiling of its Delta State Secretariat and an expanded State Executive Council, following a successful National Youth Tour across the region.

The unveiling, held Tuesday in Asaba, signals a strategic consolidation of the Movement’s structure in Delta as it ramps up support for Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The group commended Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, for fostering what it described as an enabling environment for youth participation and civic engagement.

Director-General of the Movement, Francis Oluwatosin Shoga, said the new secretariat would serve as a command hub to translate recent mobilisation gains into coordinated grassroots action.

“This is beyond a building—it is a launchpad for stronger grassroots engagement. We are backing reforms that are already showing results, and our task is to drive that message to every corner of the country,” he said.

South-South Coordinator, Asuquo Ekpeyong, described Delta as pivotal to the region’s political momentum, adding that the new structure would channel youth enthusiasm into organised civic participation.

“This gives our message a structure and our people a platform. We will continue peaceful mobilisation and ensure young Nigerians play active roles in national development,” he stated.

Chairman and Patron of the Movement, Oluwaseyi Tinubu, underscored the importance of stakeholder backing, noting that the initiative is driven by “conviction, service, and nation-building.”

The high-profile event drew national and state leaders, youth groups, women representatives, community stakeholders, and supporters aligned with the Renewed Hope campaign.

Ogun Deputy Speaker Disowns Yewa South APC Endorsement Claim, Denies Signing Rotation Agreement

ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA – In a decisive move to set the record straight, the Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Lateefat Bolanle Ajayi, has firmly distanced herself from the reported endorsement of a candidate for the Yewa South State Constituency seat.

Speaking through a statement e-signed and released to the media on Sunday, May 3, 2026, Rt. Hon. Ajayi clarified that she was neither consulted nor invited to the alleged meeting where the decision was said to have been reached.

The meeting, according to reports, purportedly took place at the Governor’s Lodge in GRA, Ilaro-Yewa, Ogun State.

The Deputy Speaker also debunked claims attributed to leaders and elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yewa South Local Government, which suggested that she had agreed to a rotational arrangement and pledged not to seek re-election after her current tenure.

“I want to categorically state for the record that at no time did I, Rt. Hon. Lateefat Ajayi, sit with any individual or group of political leaders to agree that I will not contest the position after my present tenure”, she said.

Expressing her dissatisfaction, Ajayi described her exclusion from such a critical decision as both surprising and unacceptable, particularly given her position as Deputy Speaker and representative of the Yewa South State Constituency in the Ogun State House of Assembly.

“I am deeply disappointed that, as the Deputy Speaker representing Yewa South, I was not invited to the meeting where elders of our party reportedly took this unpopular decision in my absence”, she added.

She emphasized the importance of adherence to party principles, noting that the constitution of the APC remains sacrosanct and binding on all members, regardless of status or alignment.

Addressing the controversy surrounding the alleged agreement, Ajayi dismissed the document being circulated as fraudulent, insisting that she neither signed nor endorsed any such arrangement.

“The purported document being referenced by some party leaders is fake. At no point did I append my signature to any agreement of that nature”, she declared.

In a bid to prevent further escalation of the matter, the Deputy Speaker appealed to key figures within the party to intervene and restore order.

She specifically called on Governor Dapo Abiodun, APC National Leader Chief Segun Osoba, Senator Solomon Adeola (Yayi), the Ogun State APC Chairman, Alhaji Sanusi, and other prominent leaders to urgently address the situation and forestall any breakdown of unity within the party.

Rt. Hon. Ajayi also urged her supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, expressing confidence that the party’s leadership would resolve the controversy surrounding what she described as an “illegal endorsement” ahead of the 2027 general elections.

She reaffirmed her commitment to democratic principles and party discipline, while maintaining her right to contest and serve her constituency in accordance with due process.