Politics

How El-Rufai’s Son Pushed Serving Rep Out Of APC

Published

4 years ago

May 23, 2022

Bello El-Rufai

When the member representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, Samaila Suleiman, resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in March, 2022, he cited internal squabbles within the ruling party as his reason.

This, however, is far from the truth, as Daily Trust gathered that among other reasons, the young legislator was said to have left the party following an eagle-eye interest of Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s eldest son, Bello, on his seat at the green chamber.

Daily Trust reports that Suleiman, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Special Duties, in a letter dated March 8, 2022, addressed to the state’s APC Chairman, Emmanuel Jekada, stated that his decision followed the breakdown of internal democracy and factionalisation of the party at all levels, especially at the national level.

In the letter, attached with his APC membership card, which was copied to the APC chairman of Kaduna North Local Government Area and the ward chairman of Unguwan Sarki, Suleiman stated that his resignation was with immediate effect.

The APC Chairman of Kaduna North LGA, Suleiman Wada, confirmed that the letter had been received at the state secretariat.

However, weeks into his resignation, and having moved to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it became glaring that Bello el-Rufai was the major obstacle to Suleiman’s retention of his seat at the national assembly come 2023.

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Tongues began to wag as to why Suleiman, a young and ambitious legislator, could leave the APC rather than slug it out with Bello.

Sources within the APC told our correspondent that Bello had been promised Suleiman’s seat.

Speaking with our correspondent, the state APC Publicity Secretary, Salisu Tanko Wusonu, however, said, “This is not true. The APC has not promised anyone the ticket. The ticket is with the delegates, and if you are serious and believe you are capable of contesting, then you have every right to canvas support from the delegates.

“Anyone who tells you that the ticket has been promised to someone is not telling the truth. The present member was elected under the APC twice. Should we say the ticket was promised to him at that time? Some people lost for him to win, and so that is just it. If you believe you are a vibrant politician and you know what you are doing, people will vote for you. There is nothing to fear.”

As a former Chairman of Kaduna North LGA who moved to the House of Representatives in 2015, Suleiman is said to be a grassroots mobiliser and popular among his constituents. He is of Kaduna’s old political dynasty as his father, Alhaji Abdu Suleiman, said to be one of the most influential political godfathers in the state.

Those in his camp say he is not afraid of taking risks.

A resident of Kaduna North said, “He is the only politician who won local government council election under President Muhammadu Buhari’s defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2008 given his grassroots antecedence and popularity among the downtrodden. Suleiman, if he had decided to slug it out with Bello he could have given both father and son a run for their money.”

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Even in the PDP, Suleiman will have to slug it out with an old rival, Shehu ABG who also defected from the APC after the 2015 elections. ABG, who was a member for Kaduna North Federal Constituency under the defunct CPC, had moved to the APC but lost his seat to Suleiman in 2015.

Meanwhile, supporters of Bello, who is in his 30s, say his years of experience as a former senior legislative aide and Chief of Staff to Sen Uba Sani (Kaduna Central), has exposed him to legislative matters that will make him an asset to the people of the state.

“He will perform wonders for his constituents. He is smart and passionate like his father,” a member of the Bello el-Rufai Awareness Forum said.

But like his father, Bello though courageous and not scared to pick a fight, can be very controversial. In 2020 he was enmeshed in a controversial sexual abuse tweet when he made a slur on a gang rape against the mother of a twitter user. He later apologised for his infamous conduct on social media, saying his tweets fell short of his family’s values of decency and tolerance.

To get the APC ticket may just be a tea party for the young El-Rufai given that his father is in control of the party at the state level. However, to get to the green chamber, Bello will have to bulldoze his way through Suleiman’s grassroots popularity. To do that, he will not only rely on his father’s political structure, but on friends such as Hon Muktar Baloni, the Chairman of Kaduna North LGA.

Related Topics:APC El Rufai Featured Serving Rep

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Politics

AMAC Polls Shock: Another PDP Candidate Withdraws from FCT Race, Backs APC

Published

38 minutes ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

AMAC Polls Shock: Another PDP Candidate Withdraws from FCT Race, Backs APC

Less than 48 hours before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate for Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Zadna Dantani, has pulled out of the race and declared support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu.

Dantani’s withdrawal follows a similar move in Bwari Area Council, where the PDP candidate, Hon. Julius Adamu, stepped down in favour of APC’s Joshua Ishaku Musa, signalling a major shift in political alignment ahead of Saturday’s elections.

In a formal declaration, Dantani explained that his decision was influenced by high-level intervention from the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, whom he described as both “party leader and FCT leader.”

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“I want to sincerely appreciate everyone who supported us. This decision is not about personal interests. The Honourable Minister of FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, emphasized that this is a brotherhood election. I am aligning with APC in support of the good works of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Dantani said.

Dantani also confirmed that he had completed all legal formalities, including submitting a letter of withdrawal to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), stating that the move was entirely voluntary and made after consultations with family and stakeholders.

He called on his supporters across AMAC’s 12 wards to vote for APC’s Christopher Maikalangu, describing the alignment as a step toward unity and effective governance in the territory.

Political analysts note that these high-profile PDP withdrawals in both AMAC and Bwari have reshaped the FCT political landscape, increasing APC’s chances of sweeping the elections and stirring debates about PDP’s internal cohesion ahead of upcoming local and national contests.

AMAC Polls Shock: Another PDP Candidate Withdraws from FCT Race, Backs APC

Politics

Updated: Rivers Senator Mpigi Barinada dies at 64

Published

3 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

Updated: Rivers Senator Mpigi Barinada dies at 64

Lawmaker representing the South East Senatorial district of Rivers State, Senator Mpigi Barinada is dead.

He was aged 64.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, confirmed the sad development in a tribute post on his official X handle on Thursday.

He wrote, “Good night my dear friend. Rest in Peace, Senator Mpigi Barinada. Sen Mpigi represented Rivers South East in the Senate”.

The Rivers Senator was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works.

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Senator representing Nasarawa South, Mohammed Onawo, also paid glowing tribute to the late Rivers senator and urged his colleagues to honour his memory.

He spoke during the session of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism on Thursday.

First elected in 2011 to the lower house, he was re-elected for a second term in December 2016.

In 2019, he was elected as the Senator representing Rivers South East Senatorial District under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Updated: Rivers Senator Mpigi Barinada dies at 64

Politics

LP Crisis Deepens as Abure Faction Rejects Otti’s Reconciliation Call

Published

6 hours ago

February 19, 2026

Trends Admin

National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure

LP Crisis Deepens as Abure Faction Rejects Otti’s Reconciliation Call

The leadership crisis rocking the Labour Party (LP) has taken a new turn as the Julius Abure–led faction firmly rejected reconciliation efforts initiated by Abia State Governor Alex Otti, declaring it has no interest in any peace move proposed by him.

In a strongly worded response, the factional National Working Committee (NWC) led by Julius Abure described Governor Otti’s call for unity as dishonest, premature, and ill-fated, insisting that the internal dispute within the party is far from being resolved.

The Abure camp was reacting to Otti’s recent appeal for aggrieved factions within the party to sheathe their swords and work towards rebuilding the LP ahead of future elections. The governor had announced plans to set up a reconciliation committee, stating that the interim leadership would determine the appropriate timing.

However, the Abure faction dismissed the move outright, accusing Otti of playing a central role in triggering and escalating the crisis. According to the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, the governor lacks the moral authority to champion reconciliation.

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“We are not interested in any reconciliation being proposed by Governor Alex Otti because he is largely responsible for the crisis facing the party today,” Ifoh said. He questioned why the governor was rushing reconciliation talks when legal battles over the party’s leadership are still ongoing, stressing that the matter is “far from over.”

The rejection comes amid heightened tensions following the removal of Abure’s leadership details from the INEC portal, a development that further deepened divisions within the opposition party.

Background: How the Labour Party Leadership Crisis Began

The Labour Party crisis stems from a prolonged power struggle over national leadership, which intensified after the 2023 general elections that significantly boosted the party’s national profile.

At the heart of the dispute are two rival factions: one led by Julius Abure, the party’s embattled national chairman, and another aligned with Nenadi Usman, who heads an interim leadership structure.

The crisis escalated when a court of first instance issued an order that effectively recognized the Nenadi Usman–led group as the authentic leadership of the party. Acting on the ruling, the Independent National Electoral Commission adjusted its records, delisting the Abure-led NWC from its official portal.

While Abure’s faction has since filed an appeal and maintains that the court ruling is not final, the Usman-aligned camp has continued to operate as the recognized leadership, widening the rift within the party.

Governor Otti, one of the most prominent LP officeholders, has publicly aligned with reconciliation efforts, arguing that internal unity is critical for the party’s survival. However, the Abure faction views his actions as politically motivated interference, rather than a genuine peace initiative.

With legal proceedings still pending and both factions refusing to back down, the Labour Party remains deeply divided, raising fresh concerns about its cohesion and electoral prospects ahead of future political contests.