Politics

Drop your presidential bids, Afenifere leader tells Tinubu, Osinbajo

Published

4 years ago

April 20, 2022

Tinubu, Osinbajo

Leader of Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has said that presidential aspirants from the South-West geopolitical zone including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, should forget their presidential ambitions.

He said it was the turn of the South-East to produce Nigeria’s next President after the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), in May 2023.

The elder statesman made his position known in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday.

According to him, it is an injustice for a South-West President to emerge in 2023 after ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo from Ogun State had ruled from 1999 to 2007; while Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, also from Ogun State, has been in government since May 2015 and would have spent eight years in power by May 2023.

The 94-year old elder statesman added that the South-South zone has also had a shot at both President and Vice-President positions with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan between 2007 and 2010 (as VP) and from 2010 to 2015 (as President).

Adebanjo, however, said for Nigeria to have another President, the country must first be secured.

The nonagenarian said, “Right now, is there a country for them to be President? There must be one country first before you can talk of an election. Is this the country Jonathan handed over to Buhari? Whether a Southern or a Northern candidate, let us unite everyone. We can’t get everyone united until we change this constitution.

“Are you safe? Talk about security. How am I sure that I won’t be shocked when I go to the police station, when electoral officers, soldiers, and policemen are being shot dead and I can’t travel to Maiduguri safely?

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“All those who are clamouring for Presidency, be it Jagaban (Tinubu) or Osinbajo, they should assure us of our safety first, that the country is safe, that we are one, then we talk of who is going to be President. They should forget about their ambitions now until there is safety. Nobody can go to the South-East now, and we are all living in denial.”

Asked if he was supporting Tinubu, Osinbajo, or any President from the South-West, the Afenifere leader said, “How can I back a South-West candidate? That is not equity. Has Obasanjo not done so for eight years? Has Osinbajo not done eight years as VP? Has Jonathan not done five years as President? Is the South-East not part of Nigeria?

“We want peace and equity. It is the turn of the South-East. I don’t talk ambiguously. It is the South-East that the thing must go; there is no doubt about that but my anxiety now is that before we say, South-East, have we got a country? Let us settle that before we say the South-East is the answer. I am not ambivalent about it at all.”

He is entitled to his opinion, say VP, ex-Lagos gov’s camps

Pro-Tinubu and pro-Osinbajo groups have however expressed their disagreements with the statement made by the Afenifere leader.

The chairman of the pro-Tinubu group, South West Agenda 2023 group, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, during a telephone interview with The PUNCH, said the rotation principle of the presidency is between the North and South of the country.

“The rotation principle in Nigeria is between the North and the South and whenever it rotates to any of the regions, whether South or North, every of the geopolitical zones in that region are free to contest the presidency. Now, it is the turn of the South and we absolutely believe that anybody in the South, including those from the South-West, are free to throw their hats into the ring and challenge for the presidency.

“This is exactly what Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing and he is enjoying tremendous support not only in the South-West which is his own base, but throughout the entire length and breadth, nook and cranny of Nigeria and therefore, no person will sit in one corner and say Asiwaju Bola Tinubu should forget his presidential ambition. Certainly, he will contest for the presidency.”

The Convener, Progressive Lawyers for Osinbajo, Dr Kayode Ajulo, explained to The PUNCH that the opinion of Adebanjo does not indicate the position of the Afenifere group.

He said, “The Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is not about making emotive statements. I know that if Afenifere wants to say anything, it has to be decided on. Afenifere is not a conclave of what people don’t know what is being done there. The way we have been doing it is that the issue would be deliberated upon by Afenifere and there would be a communique collectively passed. I ask, where is the communiqué of Afenifere saying this?

“For some time now, I have not seen such things from Afenifere. I have not received any notification to this effect and no one else has confirmed receiving any invitation. Baba Adebanjo is entitled to his opinion. But where is Baba Reuben Fasoranti? Where is Baba Sehinde Arogbofa? Where is Chief Sola Ebiseni? Where is Olu Falae’s opinion on this issue? This is not an issue that only one person will just make a sweeping remark. Where did these men deliberate on this issue?

“I am worried that it is being termed Afenifere’s position. Afenifere has procedures, ways and manners such an issue is to be discussed. As it is, I see more of Chief Ayo Adebanjo’s personal opinion which he is entitled to, but please it is clear how the President of Nigerians should emerge.”

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Politics

ADC Leadership Crisis Deepens as Rival Faction Protests at INEC Headquarters

Published

10 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Trends Admin

ADC Leadership Crisis Deepens as Rival Faction Protests at INEC Headquarters

A fresh wave of internal crisis has hit the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a rival faction of the party, led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, staged a protest on Thursday at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

The demonstrators, who gathered in significant numbers, called on a separate faction reportedly aligned with prominent political figures—including David Mark, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso—to desist from interfering in the party’s internal affairs.

Leading the protest, Nafiu Bala Gombe insisted that the integrity and independence of the ADC must be preserved, warning against what he described as external influence and imposition of leadership within the party structure.

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He was joined by a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, who represents a constituency in Kogi State. Abejide echoed concerns over what the group termed attempts to destabilise the party through parallel leadership claims.

The protesters urged INEC to uphold the rule of law by strictly adhering to a recent court ruling concerning the party’s leadership dispute. They specifically called on the electoral body to maintain the “status quo ante bellum”—a legal term referring to the state of affairs before the emergence of the current conflict—pending final resolution of the matter.

Chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards, the group emphasised the need for transparency, judicial compliance, and neutrality in the commission’s handling of party affairs.

The development marks a further escalation in the ADC’s internal wrangling, raising concerns about the party’s stability ahead of future political engagements.

ADC Leadership Crisis Deepens as Rival Faction Protests at INEC Headquarters

Politics

Court Stops ADC Congress, Orders Status Quo in Leadership Row

Published

16 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Trends Admin

Court Stops ADC Congress, Orders Status Quo in Leadership Row

A High Court in Katsina State has issued an interim order restraining key members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from parading themselves as officials of the party in the state and barred the conduct of any party congress pending the determination of a suit before the court.

The order followed an ex parte motion filed by Usman Wamba, who claims to be the legitimate Katsina State Chairman of the ADC. Wamba approached the court to challenge what he described as attempts by rival party members to usurp his position and authority.

In a ruling delivered by Justice A. K. Tukur on April 7, 2026, the court restrained Lawan Batagarawa and Babangida Ibrahim Mahuta from presenting themselves as leaders or stakeholders of the ADC Katsina chapter. They were also prohibited from conducting any party activities or organising congresses until the motion on notice is fully heard and determined.

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The court further restrained the national leadership of the ADC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising, supervising, or participating in any congress organised by the defendants in Katsina State. Justice Tukur ordered all parties to maintain the status quo concerning leadership and activities of the party in the state.

Additionally, the court granted Wamba leave to serve the defendants outside Katsina State, including in Abuja, via courier. The substantive hearing of the motion has been scheduled for April 15, 2026.

ADC’s Katsina State legal adviser, Barrister Mustapha Shiru Mahuta, confirmed receipt of the court order, saying the party’s legal team was reviewing it and preparing for further actions.

The injunction comes amid a protracted leadership crisis within the ADC Katsina chapter, which has seen rival factions claiming legitimate authority ahead of congresses intended to position the party for the 2027 general elections. The court’s ruling effectively halts all planned congresses at ward, local government, and state levels in Katsina.

Political analysts note that the case highlights how internal party disputes can escalate into legal battles, disrupting organisational structures and delaying preparations for wider political engagement.

Court Stops ADC Congress, Orders Status Quo in Leadership Row

Politics

#OccupyINEC: ADC Protests in Abuja, Demands INEC Chairman’s Resignation

Published

16 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Trends Admin

#OccupyINEC: ADC Protests in Abuja, Demands INEC Chairman’s Resignation

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) led a massive protest in Abuja on Tuesday under the hashtag #OccupyINEC, calling for the resignation of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Professor Joseph Amupitan. The party accused INEC of partisanship, constitutional violations, and interference in internal party affairs, actions it says threaten Nigeria’s democratic process.

ADC Protests in Abuja

The demonstration began at the Maitama Roundabout and drew a host of prominent political figures, including former Senate President David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and ex-Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye. Their presence highlighted the seriousness of the protest and amplified public attention.

ADC leaders accused the INEC Chairman of overstepping his constitutional authority, especially in matters related to court rulings and party leadership disputes. According to the party, INEC’s actions — including publicly interpreting court judgments — encroach on the judiciary’s exclusive powers and undermine the credibility of the electoral system.

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The protest also comes amid ongoing internal ADC disputes, which INEC has been accused of complicating by attempting to influence or reverse prior decisions regarding the party’s leadership structure. ADC insists that all internal processes were transparent and had been acknowledged by INEC in sworn affidavits.

During the demonstration, ADC presented six formal demands to INEC:

Immediate resignation or removal of the INEC Chairman.
Withdrawal of “offensive” correspondence sent to the party.
Formal apology from INEC.
Clear commitment to non-interference in political party affairs.
Restoration of public trust in the electoral process.
Implementation of reforms to ensure neutrality and transparency in future elections.

The party warned that failure to comply would trigger legal action and civic mobilisation, including judicial proceedings to hold the commission accountable. “The integrity of Nigeria’s democracy cannot and will not be sacrificed on the altar of institutional compromise,” ADC stated.

The protest saw supporters carrying placards and banners highlighting support for ADC leadership and denouncing perceived INEC bias. Party leaders emphasized that their action is aimed at protecting Nigeria’s democratic values ahead of the 2027 general elections.

#OccupyINEC: ADC Protests in Abuja, Demands INEC Chairman’s Resignation