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Ekiti Guber Poll: We are united to win Ekiti For APC, says Tinubu

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Ekiti Guber Poll: We are united to win Ekiti For APC, says Tinubu

Ekiti Guber Poll: We are united to win Ekiti For APC, says Tinubu

….canvasses support for Oyebanji

…As APC governors, leaders storm Ekiti for Oyebanji

By Olorunfemi Adejuyigbe

 

 

Ekiti Guber Poll: We are united to win Ekiti For APC, says Tinubu

 

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has said the party is united to ensure victory for its governorship candidate, Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, during Saturday’s election in the state.

Asiwaju Tinubu said all quarrels and squabbles in the APC family had been resolved and the party is approaching Saturday’s governorship poll and next year’s general elections as a united house that is ready to crush the opposition.

 

 

 

Speaking in Ado- Ekiti, Tuesday at the APC mega rally held ahead of the June 18 governorship election, Asiwaju Tinubu, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, said the Ekiti poll is an opportunity to make a statement that the Yoruba is ready for the Presidency next year.

The entry of Asiwaju Tinubu into the arena at 1.40 pm enlivened the crowd who greeted the presidential candidate with deafening ovation and applause to the admiration of the guests.

 

 

Ekiti Guber Poll: We are united to win Ekiti For APC, says Tinubu

 

 

The APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who led other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) to the rally, presented the governorship flag to Oyebanji who was joined by his running mate, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye and the wife of the candidate, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji.

The rally which was witnessed by a mammoth crowd was attended by all APC Governors: Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara), Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Gboyega Oyetola (Osun), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun) and Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos) who were all introduced by the host Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

 

 

 

Ekiti Guber Poll: We are united to win Ekiti For APC, says Tinubu

 

 

Asiwaju Tinubu, who had arrived the state on Monday, had prior to the rally, presented Oyebanji to the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, HRM Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, during a courtesy visit to the palace. in company with Dr Fayemi, Oyebanji and other APC leaders.

He told the crowd pf supporters that President Buhari asked him to bring the message of newfound love, stability, oneness and unity in the party to its members and electorate in Ekiti to achieve total victory on Saturday and general elections in 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Going down the memory lane, Asiwaju Tinubu recalled the developments that led to the formation of the APC in 2013 with the merger of legacy parties which successfully dislodged the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which he described as “Poverty Development Party” from power at the 2015 general elections.

The presidential flag bearer said Nigerians further trusted the party by re-electing it to continue in power in the 2019 general elections commending Buhari for supporting the clamour for return of power to the South in 2023 with him (Tinubu) as the symbol for the unity of the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The former Lagos State Governor threw his weight behind the election of Oyebanji noting that internal rancour within the party has now become a thing of the past and it is now united to achieve victory on Saturday to signpost its readiness to retain power at the centre in 2023.

Asiwaju Tinubu urged Ekiti Kete to re-elect APC to show their readiness to support the party that has entrusted its presidential ticket to a Yoruba candidate next year urging them to forget the grievances of the past and support the party in elections ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He said: “President Buhari is a man of integrity, honour is better than riches. He has said we (APC) are going back to South for the next President of Nigeria and he has kept that promise for us and it is now left for us to work for the progress and unity of Nigeria.

“There is no house where we don’t have quarrels, democracy is full of twists and turns, hills and valleys. We will have quarrels but we will not burn down the house. I am a builder, a successful builder for that matter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Those of us that said we are fighting, you are lying. We have settled our quarrel. This is the first step in the elections ahead. The President has said I should be involved in this (Ekiti) election and we are going to succeed.

“I have not failed in any elections before; four years ago, myself, (Governor) Bagudu and others were here and you listened the us and we succeeded in that election.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking earlier, the National Chairman, Senator Adamu said the Ekiti rally was the first outing of the party since the conclusion of the national convention which produced Asiwaju Tinubu as the presidential flag bearer.

The former Nasarawa State Governor who was impressed by the huge crowd that thronged the rally assuring that Oyebanji would succeed Dr Fayemi as the next Ekiti Governor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The National Chairman urged voters in Ekiti to vote Oyebanji whom he described as humble and service inclined candidate to prove a point that Ekiti is an APC state.

He said: “This Saturday will be historic and we thank Ekiti people for coming out en masse to welcome us. I have come to this state three times, I have not seen a crowd like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We saw the vote returned during the election of Governor Fayemi but next Saturday, we want to see the double of that. Come out on Saturday and show all that Ekiti is an APC state.”

The former Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, urged those who are still aggrieved with APC to forgive the party ahead of the Saturday election.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Giving a word of admonition to the party faithful and the electorate in the state, Chief Akande who spoke in Yoruba said to err is human and to forgive is divine urging the aggrieved to forgive the party, it’s candidate and whoever that might have offended them.

The Chairman of the National Campaign Council for Ekiti governorship election and Kebbi Governor Bagudu urged voters in Ekiti to retain APC in power for good governance to continue in the state

 

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Bagudu said he and other fellow governors had visited the state within the last four years to commission key projects and witnessed the launch of the Rice Pyramid in Ekiti noting that the state must remain in the APC fold for such laudable policies and projects to continue.

The rally was a big carnival that attracted APC members from all the 16 local government areas who wore colourful attires with Oyebanji’s portraits as a mark of solidarity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ace Fuji musician King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal and other artistes entertained the crowd during the rally.

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Ogun Central To Host Final Zonal Townhall Meeting for Sen. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, April 30

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Ogun Central To Host Final Zonal Townhall Meeting for Sen. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, April 30

-.Removes Hon.Olugbenga Lekuti as Deputy Director General,Ogun East

One of the leading Political Groups, Ogun Visionaries is set to host the final zonal edition of the Sen. Solomon Adeola Yayi town hall meetings in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital. The Ogun Central Edition, scheduled for April 30, 2026, aims to engage the electorate and push for Senator Yayi’s Governorship bid in 2027.

The event is themed ‘Ogun 2027: Yayi For All,’ marking the finale of the zonal town hall meetings.

Addressing Journalists on Tuesday in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital,the Director General of Ogun Visionaries, Hon. Leye Odunjo, said the meeting will draw key stakeholders from Ogun Central’s political power circle.

Hon.odunjo stated that the event will kick off with a health walk, ‘Ogun Visionaries For Yayi Unity Walk,’ in the morning of April 30, 2026.The walk is themed ‘Let’s Walk for A United and Prosperous Ogun State,’ aiming to rally support for Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Governorship aspiration.

“The town hall meeting is expected to feature prominent personalities, including Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi as the Special Guest of Honour. The event will provide a platform for interaction and engagement with the electorate”.

Ogun Visionaries has successfully held town hall meetings in Ogun West and Ogun East senatorial districts. The Ogun Central Edition is the final zonal meeting before moving to LGAs and wards.

The Director General while acknowledging the support received from various personalities since inception of the group,disclosed that distinguished individuals would be honoured with Award of Recognition during the event.

Odunjo, who is also a Senior Legislative Aide to the Deputy Senate President said “The political atmosphere in Ogun State is reportedly in tune with the people’s yearning for Yayi’s emergence. Ogun Visionaries is at the forefront of making this a reality.

“The event aims to unite stakeholders and push for a prosperous Ogun State. With Senator Yayi’s popularity growing, the meeting is expected to draw a large turnout.

“The Ogun Central Edition will provide a platform for stakeholders to interact and engage with the electorate. The event is seen as a crucial step towards achieving the group’s goals.

“Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola Yayi’s presence is expected to energize supporters and further boost his campaign for 2027” he added

Meanwhile, Ogun Visionaries has announced removal of Hon Olugbenga Lekuti as the Deputy Director General, DDG,Ogun East, of the group.

Announcing the removal in a brief statement made available to Journalists, Hon.Odunjo stated that Hon.Lekuti was relieved of the position as a result of his anti -group and anti -Yayi’s acts.

He added that a new Deputy Director General would be announced in due course.

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Political Earthquake in Kano: How, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Nasiru Gawuna’s Move to ADC Reshapes North-West Politics

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Political Earthquake in Kano: How, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Nasiru Gawuna’s Move to ADC Reshapes North-West Politics

 

 

The political atmosphere of Nigeria’s North-West was fundamentally altered on a sweltering afternoon in 2026 after Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso former Governor of Kano State and Former Minister for Defence who is also the “Grand Commander” of the Red-Cap revolution, finalized a move that many viewed as the ultimate masterstroke of his political career. By transitioning from the NNPP to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kwankwaso did more than change platforms; he effectively reset the coordinates of the nation’s largest voting bloc.

 

Senator Kwankwaso’s pedigree is defined by a singular devotion to human capital development and an almost mythical grassroots loyalty preceded him. He turned a local movement, the Kwankwasiyya, into a disciplined, ideological army that transcends traditional party structures. His entry into the ADC instantly transformed a secondary party into a formidable fortress, signaling to the ruling elite that the North-West is no longer a monolith under their control.

 

The gravity of this shift is most profound in Kano, the heartbeat of Northern commerce. For years, the state was a polarized battlefield between the Kwankwasiyya and established conservative wings. However, the entry of Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna into the same ADC orbit has created a “Kano Super-Alliance” that was previously unthinkable. Kwankwaso, the visionary architect who sent thousands of Kano’s children to global universities, now finds his populist ideology merging with Gawuna’s administrative steadiness and deep-rooted institutional connections.

 

This synergy is a seismic departure from the politics of “zero-sum” rivalry; it is a calculated fusion of mass appeal and the strategic machinery required to protect and deliver votes.

This move reshuffles the entire North-West deck. As Kwankwaso plants the ADC flag across the region, he is attracting a wave of heavyweights from Kaduna to Sokoto who feel marginalized by the status quo. His political pedigree allows him to speak with a regional authority that others lack, positioning himself as a protector during a time of economic uncertainty. By bringing Gawuna into this fold, the dynamics of Kano politics have shifted from a war of attrition to a coalition of necessity. This alliance creates a “Third Way” that bypasses the failures of the old guard, promising a return to the rapid growth that defined the Kwankwaso years, but with a broader, more inclusive base that could dictate the occupant of Aso Rock in 2027.

 

Kwankwaso’s career has always been defined by a uniquely personal brand of power. From 1999 to 2015, he served two terms as Governor of Kano State, in addition to roles as Minister of Defence and Senator. While many were surprised by his recent maneuvers; especially following closed-door meetings with President Bola Tinubu, he chose the emerging ADC over the ruling APC.

 

In the high-stakes theater of Nigerian politics, few events have jolted the region quite like the defection of Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna from the APC to the ADC on March 31, 2026. Coming just twenty-four hours after Kwankwaso’s move, Gawuna’s transition fundamentally has also altered the political calculus in Kano. What makes this moment remarkable is the sheer drama of the reversal. Gawuna’s political journey has been a steady, calculated ascent through Kano’s establishment. He first shot to prominence as Commissioner of Agriculture under Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, earning a reputation for hands-on management in a state where farming is the economic backbone. He eventually rose to Deputy Governor, serving for nearly six years and gaining invaluable executive experience. Beyond partisan politics, Gawuna distinguished himself as Chairman of the Governing Council of Bayero University and, most recently, as Chairman of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN). He resigned from the FMBN on March 27, 2026, citing compliance with presidential directives regarding political appointees.

 

A look back at the 2023 gubernatorial election reveals just how significant Gawuna is. Running under the APC, he polled over 890,000 votes against the formidable Kwankwasiyya machine. This proved that he is one of the few politicians in Kano who can genuinely compete with Kwankwaso’s electoral machinery. His strength is threefold: he appeals to the youth, the religious establishment (Ulama), and the business community; he has the capacity to split the APC vote; and he has demonstrated he can deliver votes independently of a larger party wave. To understand the magnitude of this defection, one must appreciate the complete inversion of alliances since 2023. Back then, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf ran on the NNPP ticket with Kwankwaso’s backing, while Gawuna carried the APC banner with Ganduje’s support. By 2027, the roles will likely reverse: Governor Yusuf is positioned to run under the APC with Ganduje’s blessing, while Gawuna is poised to run under the ADC with Kwankwaso’s endorsement.

 

From the perspective of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Gawuna’s arrival is a “return” rather than a “recruitment,” as he was part of the movement’s pioneer cohort. This narrative neutralizes accusations of opportunism. For his part, Gawuna framed his move in terms of service and divine guidance, with sources indicating he felt marginalized within the APC after his 2023 defeat.

 

The reaction from within the APC has been one of worry and regret. President Tinubu, recognizing the stakes, reportedly directed party leaders to prevent Gawuna’s move, even offering him an automatic Senatorial ticket for 2027. The failure of this pressure campaign, Gawuna reportedly placed his phone on “Do Not Disturb” and traveled abroad to avoid lobbyists represents a significant defeat for the presidency’s political management. This crisis prompted emergency meetings between President Tinubu, Dr. Ganduje, and Badaru Abubakar at the Presidential Villa to reorganize their strategy.

 

The long-term implication is the potential break of the APC-PDP duopoly. The ADC is now positioning itself as a genuine “third force” in the North-West. The defection of high-profile figures like Senator Ahmed Babba-Kaita, Senator Aishatu “Binani” Ahmed, and former Justice Minister Abubakar Malami suggests a coordinated realignment. This competition could force more substantive policy debates and reduce the “zero-sum” intensity of regional elections.

 

The projected 2027 gubernatorial rematch between Gawuna (ADC) and Governor Yusuf (APC) will be a battle between two men with established records. Voters will have a genuine choice between performance and platform rather than just shifting loyalties. As Gawuna put it: “Allah gives power to whom He wants and when He wants.” While the 2027 elections will reveal where that power flows, it is already clear that the political landscape of the North-West will never look the same again.

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Governor Dauda Lawal Approves Gratuity Payment

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Governor Dauda Lawal Approves Gratuity Payment

The Zamfara State Government, under the visionary leadership of Governor Dauda Lawal, has approved the release of funds for the payment of Gratuity Batch 3 for the 2024/25 period. This decisive action underscores the administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare of retired civil servants who dedicated years of service to the state’s development.

The Accountant General of the State is already working diligently to ensure that all eligible retirees receive their payments promptly and efficiently, reflecting the government’s resolve to uphold transparency and accountability in the disbursement process.

This timely gratuity payment is a testament to Governor Dauda Lawal’s people-centered leadership, which recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of retirees to the progress and stability of Zamfara State. It also reaffirms the government’s pledge to honor its financial obligations without unnecessary delays.

The Zamfara State Government calls on all retirees in the affected batch to exercise patience as the necessary administrative and financial processes are finalized. Every effort is being made to ensure smooth and uninterrupted payments.

This initiative is part of Governor Dauda Lawal’s broader vision to empower citizens and retirees, strengthen confidence in public service, and sustain the morale of those who have committed their lives to the growth of Zamfara State.

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