Politics
Tenure Elongation : Hope lost for Oyegun as Senators, House of Reps members backs Buhari’s decision
Members of the Senate and House of Representatives on Sunday endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari’s withdrawal of support for the extension of the tenure of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress.
The lawmakers said Buhari simply did what most party faithful had expected him and other national leaders of the APC to have done long before.
According to them, the APC has not been in order since the National Executive Committee meeting, which extended the tenure of the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and other members of the NWC, was held.
By making an open pronouncement backing out of tenure elongation, the lawmakers argued that the President had helped to salvage the party from an “impending doom.”
The members, who spoke both on and off the record, insisted that as a political party in government under a constitutional democracy, it must lead by example in applying the tenets of democracy while conducting its affairs.
The Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, stated that the APC must consider Buhari’s position on the party’s NWC to prevent the dire consequences that would follow its dismissal.
Lawan said, “The President, no doubt, is the supreme leader of the APC and there is no doubt that he always has the utmost interest of the party at heart. Therefore, if the President presented such a thing to the APC, it is very important for the stakeholders to look at it because there is no room for frivolities when it comes to this kind of a very dire situation, which has its consequences.
“If we don’t heed the advice of the President and then go ahead to elongate the tenure, it could lead to very undesirable consequences. The President is right for taking that position.
“The President is not used to talking all the time. So, when he talks we must listen.”
Also, the Majority Whip of the Senate, Senator Sola Adeyeye, said the constitutional issues raised by Buhari against the tenure elongation were valid.
“I agree with him. I am not a lawyer but my lawyers have told me that the action taken by the NEC (to elongate the NWC’s tenure) contravened the law; it contravened the spirit of the law of the party and the stipulations of the constitution concerning registered political parties.
“So, if anything borders on illegality, I do not want my party to commit it as it will have serious, adverse consequences later on,” Adeyeye stated.
At the House of Representatives, the Chief Whip, Mr. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, said the tenure extension idea was a big mistake in the first place.
He added, “My view on this was unequivocally clear right from the day we held the NEC meeting, which I am a member. Mr. President, as the supreme leader of the party, has always propagated the exercise of transparent internal party democracy.
“He has consistently been a proponent of respect of the rule of law, through compliance with the relevant provisions of the constitution of the party and that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“In my opinion, Mr. President’s recommendations on the matter must be allowed to hold. After all, his pronouncement as the leader of the party should be taken as an irreversible order.
“The APC as a party will head for doom if it dares to undermine the true position of the law in this respect.”
Ado-Doguwa, who is from Kano State and the leader of the majority North-West Caucus, clarified that jettisoning tenure elongation did not mean that Oyegun and the other NWC members could not contest their seats again.
“We can of course, if the people so desire, bring back whoever may want to re-contest his or her position at all levels.
“But, we will have no alternative whatsoever to holding a democratically-organised congresses at the moment.
“Already, the party had designed a schedule for these congresses. I wonder why the NWC at a point derailed from doing the right thing,” he added.
A former Kogi State governorship running-mate on the platform of the APC, Mr. James Faleke, held the same views.
Faleke, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Customs and Excise, noted that there would be credibility questions for the APC if it could not comply with its own constitution.
He said, “The President’s decision was apt and right. He based his reasons on the constitution of the party and the supreme constitution of the land; the Nigerian constitution.
“Anyone who wishes to re-contest should follow the rules.”
Faleke, who represents the Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State, added that this was the right time to address any wrongs in the APC.
Another member of the party from Edo State, expressed the same opinion.
Speaking in confidence with The PUNCH, the lawmaker stated, “This extension was a mistake from the beginning.
“It has been discussed by the party faithful in hushed tones for a while now. It is good that we are all coming to terms with the reality.”
A similar position was taken by another member, who did not want to be named as well.
The member said, “We told them before that this thing (tenure extension) will come to haunt us.
“Finally, we are here. It is good we take the appropriate steps and have enough time to begin full preparations for the 2019 polls.”
On Thursday last week, Oyegun had abruptly called off a scheduled meeting with the APC caucus of the House.
The members, led by the Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, were already seated when words came from Oyegun, putting off the meeting.
There were no immediate explanations for his action, but sources hinted that the national chairman was not sure of the reception he would get from the members.
The meeting came up less than two days after Buhari had earlier on Tuesday, written the NEC to withdraw his support for tenure elongation.
Obasa Appointed to CPA African Executive Committee
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, has been appointed as a Sub-National Representative to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) African Executive Committee.
The announcement was formally conveyed through a letter from the CPA Africa Region, which was read on the floor of the Assembly by the Clerk, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, on Tuesday, March 10. The appointment confirms Speaker Obasa’s three-year tenure, spanning 2026 to 2029.
Lawmakers took turns to congratulate Speaker Obasa, praising his devotion to parliamentary service and his consistent efforts to strengthen legislative practice. They described his appointment as a recognition of his hard work and a reflection of Lagos State’s growing influence within the Commonwealth. Members noted that his achievements continue to bring pride not only to Lagos but to Nigeria as a whole.
In his remarks, Speaker Obasa expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their support, urging them to remain steadfast in prioritizing the progress of the Assembly and to continue working collectively to advance the legislature. He further directed the Clerk to send a formal letter of appreciation to the CPA African Region for the honour bestowed upon him. “Let us always put the House of Assembly first and never relent in our efforts to move the legislature forward, ” Obasa concluded.
The CPA African Region plays a pivotal role in advancing the interests of African parliaments within the Commonwealth. It is widely recognized for promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, respect for human rights, democracy, and good governance across member nations.
TINUBU RENEWS TENURE OF THREE PERMANENT SECRETARIES
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the renewal of tenure for three Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, in line with existing public service regulations.
The approval was disclosed in a statement issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, indicating that the renewed appointments will take effect from April 27, 2026.
The affected officials include Kachallom Shangti Daju, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare; Beatrice Jedy‑Agba, Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Justice; and Mary Ada Ogbe, Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Regional Development.
According to the statement, the renewal represents a second and final four-year tenure for the officials, in accordance with the provisions of Public Service Rule 020909, which allows Permanent Secretaries an initial four-year term with the possibility of a second term based on satisfactory performance.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Esther Walson‑Jack, congratulated the Permanent Secretaries on their reappointment and urged them to see the renewed mandate as a call to greater dedication and excellence in service delivery.
She further encouraged them to deploy their experience and professional expertise toward strengthening governance and advancing national development.
The statement was signed by Eno Olotu, Director of Press and Public Relations in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and dated March 6, 2026.
Politics
Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics
‘Governor Dauda Lawal’s Prompt Action Against Insecurity in Zamfara State Yielding Positive Result’ – GDL Media Force Fires Back at Critics
The attention of GDL Media Force and other well-meaning supporters of the Dauda Lawal-led administration has been drawn to a recent statement syndicated on social media by influencers from a group calling itself the Zamfara Good Governance Forum, which ludicrously attempted to portray the Governor’s security efforts as a “total failure.” This characterisation is not only divorced from reality. Still, it represents a desperate attempt by political opponents to rewrite history and undermine a Governor whose growing influence and performance clearly terrify them. It should be on record that in the whole of the North West region, Governor Dauda Lawal has tackled insecurity head-on with verifiable evidence that even those in the opposition have commended him for his huge investment in equipment that will further give security and armed forces an edge over those fueling insecurity in the country.
Since his assumption as Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Lawal has vowed that as the Chief Security Officer of the state, as well as the chief rescuer, an unprecedented commitment to tackling the security challenges that have plagued Zamfara for over a decade is his top priority and he is engaging it with much gusto. Unlike previous administrations, that engaged in shadowy deals with non-state actors, this Governor has chosen the path of transparency, capacity building, and decisive action. He was one of the Governors who openly declared that His administration would not negotiate with bandit rather his administration with fight them to a standstill and ensure they are cleared out.
In a bid to address the issues of insecurity with a well-planned arrival plan, he procured heavy Security Assets that even the Federal Government commended, him for. The recently procured and unveiled 25 units of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and an 80-meter endurance surveillance drone capable of covering 50 kilometres and operating continuously for eight hours. This represents the single largest state-government investment in security hardware in the history of Zamfara State.
The Defence Minister, during the inauguration ceremony, praised what he described as a clear demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to protecting lives and property, making the striking projection that “if we continue like this in the second term, Zamfara will look like Dubai”. This is not praise from a partisan source it is professional acknowledgement from the highest level of Nigeria’s defence establishment that Governor Lawal is doing something right.
Beyond heavy military hardware, the Governor has operationalised the Community Protection Guards in accordance with the law, providing them with 60 brand-new, well-equipped Hilux operational vehicles and specialised motorcycles to ensure swift response and effective first-responder services in difficult terrains. This is complemented by the distribution of 150 Hilux vehicles to mainstream security agencies including the Nigeria Police, DSS, and NSCDC, plus 20 Toyota Buffalo vehicles (both armoured and soft-body).
Perhaps most significantly, Governor Lawal established the Zamfara State Security Trust Fund, which provides a predictable, structured framework for logistical support to security forces. This moves the state away from the era of fragmented, reactive responses to a professional, sustainable security architecture.
When recent attacks occurred including the unfortunate February 19 incident in Anka LGA, Governor Lawal did not go into hiding or issue condolence statements from his office in Gusau. He immediately convened and personally presided over an emergency security meeting with all heads of security agencies at the Government House in Gusau, tasking them to urgently review the current security framework and implement coordinated countermeasures.
The Governor charged security chiefs to maintain “heightened vigilance, strengthened intelligence, and immediate, coordinated countermeasures” to ensure that criminal elements do not gain further ground. He also commiserated with affected communities and assured them of his administration’s full support both logistical and institutional. This is not the behaviour of a detached leader. This is the conduct of a Governor who understands that his primary constitutional responsibility is the protection of lives and property.
The public needs to understand the pedigree of those behind these allegations. The so-called “Zamfara Good Governance Forum” has a well-documented history of partisan attacks against Governor Lawal. A simple review of their previous statements reveals a pattern they have consistently attacked the Governor while remaining conspicuously silent during the administrations that presided over the worst years of banditry in the state. Interestingly, these attacks often coincide with political manoeuvres by the immediate past governor, Bello Matawalle, now Minister of State for Defence. The Zamfara State Government has previously accused Matawalle of using federal security apparatus to intimidate opposition figures in the state. The current criticism fits a familiar pattern, when you cannot defeat a Governor politically or at the ballot box, you attempt to undermine him through sponsored propaganda spreading sheer falsehood to ensure the public turns their back on a performing Governor who is rebuilding the rot the Matawale-led administration caused.
These same critics who now demand a “security roadmap” conveniently ignore that Governor Lawal inherited a state that was virtually a failed entity where farmers could not access their lands, where markets were paralysed, and where government had lost all credibility through failed negotiations and ransom payments to bandits.
Critics also conveniently ignore a fundamental reality Governor Lawal is the only opposition governor in the entire North-West geopolitical zone. Since taking office in 2023, his administration has received no federal intervention funds beyond statutory allocations no special palliatives, and no enhanced security support that flows to states with ruling-party governors. Yet despite this political isolation, he has managed to fund security without resorting to new borrowing, while monthly servicing N1.2 billion in inherited debts from the Bello Matawalle-led administration. This is governance under siege fiscally constrained, politically isolated, yet still delivering.
Governor Dauda Lawal has never claimed that the battle against banditry is easy or that success will come overnight. What he has demonstrated is sincerity of purpose, strategic vision, and relentless commitment. From the Security Trust Fund to community protection guards, from armoured personnel carriers to surveillance drones, these are not the actions of a leader who has failed. The growing influence of Governor Lawal across the North-West clearly frightens those who benefited from the old order of insecurity. When banditry thrives, politicians who negotiate with criminals remain relevant. But when peace is restored through genuine security architecture, such elements become obsolete.
Zamfara State is on the path to lasting peace. The detractors may continue their campaign of falsehood, but the facts on the ground speak louder than their sponsored propaganda. Governor Dauda Lawal remains focused, undeterred, and absolutely committed to restoring full normalcy to every inch of Zamfara State. The people of Zamfara see the progress. The Federal Government acknowledges the investment. And history will remember who truly fought for the state’s liberation.
Signed: GDL Media Force Support Group
March 4, 2026
Abuja, Nigeria
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