Sen Hanga denies APC defection rumours, says he has no plans to leave NDC

Senator Rufai Sani Hanga, representing Kano Central Senatorial District, has dismissed growing speculation that he is preparing to defect from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that he remains a loyal member of the party and has not made any decision to leave.

Hanga made the clarification during a radio programme in Kano following weeks of speculation triggered by his meetings with prominent APC leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin and other senior figures in the ruling party.

The senator said his recent political engagements should not be interpreted as a formal decision to abandon the NDC, maintaining that consultations and meetings with leaders across party lines are part of political engagement and do not automatically amount to defection.

“I still remain a member of NDC, and I have not yet made any plans of decamping out,” Hanga said.

His comments come as political consultations and realignments gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political leaders holding meetings and exploring alliances across different parties.

Although Hanga reaffirmed his membership of the NDC, he expressed doubts about the party’s ability to defeat the APC at the national level in the next presidential election.

According to him, the NDC may struggle to make a significant impact across Nigeria, but he remains confident that the party has strong political prospects in Kano State.

“NDC will lose Nigeria. They can’t make any impact, but I’m certain they will win Kano. This I know, and as for me, I still remain a member of my party,” the senator said.

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Hanga’s comments have renewed discussions about the NDC’s political strength, its national prospects and the possible realignment of political forces in Kano ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Kano Central lawmaker also addressed reports suggesting that his relationship with former Kano State governor and influential political leader, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, had completely broken down.

He said the reports were inaccurate, maintaining that mutual respect still exists between both men despite political differences and disagreements over recent political developments.

According to Hanga, there is no personal hostility between him and Kwankwaso, even though they may not always agree on political decisions.

Speaking about the emergence of the NDC governorship ticket in Kano State, Hanga gave his account of events that he said led to the party’s current political arrangements.

He claimed that Kwankwaso initially considered supporting his son, Mustapha Kwankwaso, for the governorship position and communicated the possibility through the NDC chairman in Kano State, Hussaini Isa Mairiga.

“Kwankwaso sent an emissary to me through the NDC Chairman, Hussaini Isa Mairiga, that he was considering anointing his son, Mustapha, for the governorship seat,” Hanga said.

The senator said he welcomed the proposal and indicated that he was prepared to support Mustapha’s governorship ambition if the plan was eventually adopted.

“I bade them farewell and also told him to tell Kwankwaso that I was ready to be his son’s campaign manager. Since then, I did not hear anything from them,” he added.

Hanga said he was later approached by Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo concerning the Kano governorship contest.

According to him, Gwarzo informed him that he had been selected as the party’s governorship candidate and asked whether Hanga would be willing to serve as his deputy.

“After a few days, Aminu Abdussalam met me in Abuja and told me that Kwankwaso had made him the gubernatorial candidate of the party and asked if I was ready to be his deputy,” Hanga said.

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“Although I knew it was a demotion, I accepted, but then I just heard that Kwankwaso had made his son, Mustapha, the governor’s running mate.”

The senator’s comments have intensified public interest in his political future, particularly amid reports that he may have become dissatisfied with developments surrounding the NDC’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

Speculation about Hanga’s possible move to the APC increased after APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda visited him in Kano.

Following the meeting, Yilwatda said their discussions focused on the unity, peace, stability and future of Kano State, stressing the importance of cooperation among political leaders regardless of party affiliation.

“Our discussions were cordial and focused on the unity, peace, stability and future of Kano State,” Yilwatda said.

The meeting generated fresh speculation that Hanga could be considering a political alliance with the APC, although the senator has continued to deny making any decision to defect.

Reports also emerged that Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf met with Hanga in Abuja amid growing discussions about the senator’s political future.

Hanga was later seen at engagements involving Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Yilwatda and other APC leaders, further fueling speculation about a possible move to the ruling party.

The reports gained additional attention after Hanga held discussions with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Despite the high-profile meetings, the senator has maintained that he has not formally resigned from or defected from the NDC.

The NDC leadership in Kano has also appealed to Hanga to remain in the party, describing him as an important political figure and a key member of the party’s structure in the state.

The party’s leadership has expressed concern that his departure could affect its preparations and political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections.

Hanga’s continued engagement with political leaders across party lines has, however, kept the defection rumours alive, particularly as political consultations intensify across Kano State.

The senator’s statement that the NDC may struggle at the national level, while retaining strong prospects in Kano, has also raised questions about whether he could eventually consider a new political platform ahead of the elections.

For now, Hanga has maintained that he remains a member of the NDC and has not announced any formal plan to join the APC.

His next political move is expected to attract significant attention because of his influence in Kano Central and the potential impact of any political realignment on the contest for Kano State and the 2027 general elections.

Sen Hanga denies APC defection rumours, says he has no plans to leave NDC

Tinubu tells 2027 rivals: We’ll wrestle ourselves to the finishing line

President Bola Tinubu has declared that he will not give up power without a political fight ahead of the 2027 presidential election, warning opponents seeking to unseat him to prepare for a tough but fair democratic contest.

The President made the remarks while receiving members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, where discussions focused on national development, governance, education, security and the future of the country.

Tinubu, who is seeking re-election in 2027, said political opponents were free to challenge him but should not expect him to make the path to the presidency easy.

“Those who would take it from me will try. They will try. All is fair in politics, and there is equal opportunity,” the President said.

“I won’t offer them a red carpet. I won’t offer them the leash to tie me at home.

“No, we will wrestle each other to the finishing point. That’s the truth. That is fair in politics.”

The remarks come as political parties and prospective candidates begin preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) expected to defend its control of the presidency while opposition parties work to strengthen their chances through alliances and political realignments.

Among the prominent opposition figures expected to play major roles in the 2027 contest are Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peter Obi, the candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Tinubu also defended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against allegations that it favours the ruling party, insisting that the electoral body had remained neutral and had not intimidated political actors.

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“INEC is neutral. They have never intimidated anybody. If political opponents are crying wolf, then they are afraid of their own shadows and the uncertainty in the company they keep,” he said.

The President maintained that Nigeria’s democratic system provides equal opportunities for political parties and candidates to campaign, mobilise supporters and seek the mandate of voters.

He said electoral competition should be conducted within the law and that political disagreements should not undermine public confidence in democratic institutions.

Tinubu also used the meeting to defend the performance of his administration, saying difficult reforms introduced since he assumed office were beginning to produce positive results.

According to him, the government had accepted responsibility for addressing the economic and structural challenges it inherited rather than avoiding difficult decisions.

“This government has stabilised, and there is prosperity on the horizon. The quality of life is improving,” Tinubu said.

“I inherited it. I didn’t run away. I asked for this job. I’m in it.”

The President identified the uninterrupted academic calendar in public universities as one of the achievements of his administration.

He said the absence of prolonged strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had enabled students to complete their academic programmes without the repeated disruptions that affected university education in previous years.

“None of your children in university today, and I would say they are all your children because you are Reverend Fathers, can say a four-year course is not four years,” Tinubu said.

“ASUU is not on strike. They are not bringing agony to your homes. Is that not an answer to our prayers? To me, that’s an answer.”

Tinubu also addressed the long-standing demand by the Catholic Church for the return of mission schools, explaining that state governments have the authority to decide on the ownership and administration of schools within their jurisdictions.

He recalled that mission schools were returned to their original owners during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State and urged the bishops to engage governors across the country on the matter.

“The schools are in the states. Preach to them, the governors of your states. They do the job,” he said.

“There is no need for a constitutional amendment for that. That is part of democracy. Choice.”

On national security and unity, Tinubu acknowledged that Nigeria continued to face significant challenges but expressed confidence that the country could overcome them through cooperation, responsible leadership and a shared commitment to national development.

“The security situation is what it is. We don’t have another country but here,” the President said.

“This Nigeria. And we revert to our national anthem in its complexity and diversity; we shall thrive, live, rejoice and be good to all of us.”

Tinubu said Nigeria’s founding leaders handed down a country that must be strengthened and preserved for future generations.

“Our founding fathers did their best. They left us a nation, and we owe it to our generations yet unborn to build a nation of unity, stability and prosperity for the future,” he added.

The meeting was led by Archbishop Matthew Man-Oso Ndagoso and lasted for about an hour. It provided an opportunity for the Catholic bishops and the President to exchange views on governance, education, security, national cohesion and other issues affecting Nigerians.

Tinubu’s comments are expected to generate fresh political debate as preparations for the 2027 presidential election gather momentum.

While the APC seeks to retain power and secure another term for the President, opposition parties are expected to intensify consultations and political alliances as they work to present a strong challenge in the next election.

Tinubu tells 2027 rivals: We’ll wrestle ourselves to the finishing line

Oshiomhole Just Revealed the Real Reason Obi Defeated Tinubu in Lagos 

Senator says cash scarcity and public anger, not political strength, produced Labour Party’s 2023 upset in Nigeria’s commercial capital

Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District, has claimed that Peter Obi’s victory over President Bola Tinubu in Lagos during the 2023 presidential election was largely driven by public anger over the naira redesign policy introduced under former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele. Speaking on Monday during an interview on TVC News’ Beyond the Headline programme, Oshiomhole argued that the cash scarcity triggered by the policy alienated voters from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and created the conditions that worked in Obi’s favour. The former Edo State governor and ex-APC national chairman maintained that Obi’s performance was not a reflection of personal political strength but rather a reaction to economic difficulties Nigerians faced under the final months of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. He insisted that the former Anambra State governor emerged from an “unusual situation” rather than a genuine political realignment.

“I have said this, but many people may not agree. Obi was produced by an unusual situation,” Oshiomhole said. “When a ruling party decided to destroy itself as to make anybody running election on its platform unelectable. It is that confusion that brought those votes to Peter Obi”. Oshiomhole traced the discontent to the naira redesign policy implemented during the final months of Buhari’s administration, saying it “virtually confiscated people’s money” and turned voters against the APC in Tinubu’s home state. “Former President Muhammadu Buhari suddenly changed the colour of the currency and virtually confiscated people’s money,” he said.

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According to the senator, the severe scarcity of cash forced many residents to spend long hours at automated teller machines (ATMs) and later depend on Point-of-Sale (POS) operators to access their own money, fueling resentment against the government. “People had money in the bank, but they can’t access it; they go to ATM machine, they queue all night to get ₦10,000, and after a week, even the ATM were dried of cash,” Oshiomhole recalled. He added that many Nigerians also had to pay exorbitant charges to POS operators to obtain cash during the period, compounding their frustration. “People started going to the Point-of-Sale, POS. And I remember one statement somebody made, which captured the situation, that why will you queue all night to withdraw ₦5,000? Then you go and queue for two nights to get 10 litres of PMS, and then those people expect that on election day, you will queue to vote for them?” he said.

He maintained that the resulting dissatisfaction translated into votes against the APC, enabling the Labour Party candidate to emerge victorious in Lagos. “It is this anger that, in my view, deliberately created by the president before Tinubu that made people vote against the APC in Lagos, making Peter Obi to defeat President Tinubu,” Oshiomhole said. The senator also suggested that the events surrounding the naira redesign were linked to the political ambitions of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele. He alleged that the policy emerged after Emefiele was unable to pursue his reported presidential ambition, describing the move as an attempt to “choke and suffocate the system” that created confusion within the political system. Oshiomhole had earlier in February 2023 claimed that the CBN deceived Buhari into approving the naira redesign policy, alleging that the bank sold an anti-corruption motive to the President, particularly the need to curb vote-buying during the elections, which made him approve the policy.

The former Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President also recalled conversations with constituents who blamed the government for the hardship caused by the cash shortage. “A woman in my village told me, ‘You said I should keep my money in the bank, but when I went to collect it, they said there was no money. At the POS, they deducted ₦2,000 from ₦5,000. How do I survive?'” he recounted. The senator maintained that the policies responsible for the hardship were not part of the APC’s political agenda. “I told her what Buhari was doing at that time was not APC policy. It was that anger that influenced the outcome of the election,” he said.

The naira redesign policy remains one of the most debated decisions of the Buhari administration. Introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria in late 2022, the policy aimed to replace high-denomination naira notes and encourage the return of cash held outside the banking system. However, its implementation led to severe cash shortages across the country, disrupting business activities and making it difficult for many Nigerians to access money for daily transactions. The cash crisis was rooted in the CBN’s October 2022 decision to redesign the ₦200, ₦500 and ₦1,000 notes, with the rollout triggering severe scarcity in the weeks before the February 25, 2023 poll, sparking protests across several states as citizens struggled to access legal tender. Oshiomhole’s latest remarks add to the continuing debate over the political consequences of the naira redesign policy and its impact on the outcome of the 2023 general elections, particularly in Lagos, where Peter Obi recorded one of his most significant electoral victories.

Oshiomhole Just Revealed the Real Reason Obi Defeated Tinubu in Lagos