…….Ex-state chairmen demand APC addresses alleged marginalisation

The Forum of State Chairmen of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change yesterday reiterated its support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

It also distanced itself from the recent visit of some of its members to the Abuja residence of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, describing it as the personal decision of a few individuals who did not represent the position of the group.

The Forum also urged the Presidency and the ruling All Progressives Congress to address what it called the continued marginalisation of the CPC bloc within the APC.

Former Vice President Atiku, who has since renounced his membership of the PDP, is reportedly wooing many opposition figures to rally round him in a bid to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Although he is yet to declare for any of the existing political parties, there are indications that the ex-Vice President will formally join the African Democratic Congress ahead of the polls.

Already, CPC chieftains including former governors of Kaduna and Rivers states, Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, as well as ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, have teamed up with Atiku to work against Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Earlier in the week, Atiku had taken to his social media handles to announce the visit of some ex-CPC state chairmen, stressing that he advised them to encourage their supporters to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration.

However, in a statement issued yesterday and signed by Kasim Mabo (National Chairman); Sulaiman Oyaremi (National Secretary); Olalekan Obolo (South West Coordinator); Enyinnaya Nnachi (South East Coordinator) and Ahmad Dawayo (North East and North West Coordinator), the Forum clarified that out of its 37 members, only 16 have pledged their support to Atiku while 20 others are in the same boat with President Tinubu.

The statement claimed that allies of the opposition have been pressuring the forum with offer of financial incentives to dump the APC in preparation for 2027.

The statement reads in part: “We wish to categorically state that 20 members of the group remain committed to the All Progressives Congress.

“We wish to state clearly that for some time now our Forum has been put under intense pressure, which includes financial gratification by opposition leaders, which accounts for why nine of our members succumbed to their pressure a few months ago and seven others joined them only last week as it appears they could no longer resist the pressure.

“As we speak, however, 20 of us remain unwavering as we have lost one of our members from Borno State.

“This moment, however, calls for reflection, especially by the presidency and the APC leadership, to urgently address the continued neglect of the CPC bloc, particularly the Forum of State Chairmen, who are feeling increasingly alienated.

“Without the fear of sounding immodest, we remain the direct link to the grassroots structures that gave the CPC its national relevance, and we were the chairmen that worked with President Muhammadu Buhari of blessed memory to achieve the much touted 12.5 million votes.”

The group noted that the gathering of the CPC elements at Atiku’s residence was nothing short of a move to give the former Vice President a misleading impression of “widespread support.”

Reaffirming its loyalty, the Forum expressed support for the leadership of the defunct CPC bloc, led by Senator Tanko Al-Makura, Aminu Masari, and Tajudeen Abbas.

“We remain loyal, patient, but firm in our resolve to demand for better patronage just as we pray that the Almighty God shall continue to guide Mr President and indeed all our leaders,” the statement added.

Loyalists of former President Muhammadu Buhari, under the aegis of the Forum of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had recently declared support for President Bola Tinubu.

The declaration came amidst speculations that Buhari’s loyalists were displeased with Tinubu and were planning leave the ruling party en masse.

Those who met in Abuja in May and declared support for the president included the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dr Tajudeen Abbas who sent in his apologies; Katsina State Governor, Dr Dikko Radda; the Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, who also sent in his apologies; Foreign Affairs minister, Maitama Tuggar; former Governor of Nasarawa State, Senator Tanko Almakura; former Katsina State Governor and ex-House Speaker, Aminu Bello Masari and Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, General Buba Marwa (rtd).

Others included a former Aviation minister, Hadi Sirika; former Director General of the Voice of Nigeria VoN, Osita Okechukwu, former presidential aide, Okoi Obono Obla, former National Secretary of the APC, Arc. Waziri Bulama, former House of Representatives member, Farouk Adamu and many others.

Presidency to ADC: Tinubu delivered stability, peace in Rivers

The Presidency yesterday dismissed criticisms by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over President Tinubu’s handling of the Rivers State emergency rule.

It argued that the President’s intervention delivered stability, restored democratic institutions and returned peace to the state.

In a post on his verified X handle, @SundayDareSD, Presidential Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Chief Sunday Dare, described ADC’s allegations of autocracy, manipulation and undermining federalism as “laughable” and an exercise in “nuisance politics.”

Dare said the President acted constitutionally under Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), invoking emergency powers to prevent bloodshed and restore governance at a time of grave threat to law and order in Rivers State.

“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear: under Section 305, the President has the power — and the duty — to act when law and order are under grave threat.

“What the President delivered is stability, the return of democratic institutions, and peace in Rivers State.

“Nigerians can see the difference: President Tinubu acted right. That is what posterity will remember him for,” Dare said.

He dismissed ADC’s claims of federal manipulation, noting that officials in Rivers were not reduced to presidential appointees but rather protected from chaos until conditions allowed for their reinstatement.

“To accuse the President of undermining federalism is laughable; as a former governor, no Nigerian alive presently has fought harder for state autonomy than Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“What ADC offers Nigerians is late pontification and empty noise. What the President delivered is stability, peace and order,” Dare said.

The Presidency maintained that President Tinubu’s decision was neither whimsical nor partisan, but a constitutional necessity to protect the state and, by extension, the federation.

In another show of support for the President yesterday, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, expressed strong conviction that the 2027 election will be a walk over for President Tinubu.

Obasa made the declaration at the launch of a Tinubu 2027 support group in Ojokoro LCDA of Lagos State.

At the carnival-like event which took place at the local government playing ground, Obasa commended the council for taking the initiative to mobilize support for Tinubu, urging them to match their words with actions.

He said: “The President is doing wonderfully well. Within two years, his achievements are unprecedented. We can imagine what more he will still do. Let’s play our parts by being available to our people and by drawing them closer.

“If we do this, I am sure the election will be a walkover for APC and President Bola Tinubu come 2027.”

The coordinator of the group, Hon. Emmanuel Oltu, the lawmaker representing Ijaiye II at the Lagos State House of Assembly, had earlier declared that the move became necessary to prove that the council area remains Tinubu’s stronghold.

The Chairman House Committee on Agriculture said the council had put structures in place to galvanise mass support for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Political leaders and opinion moulders from Kwara South senatorial district have declared that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has attracted recognition and opportunities to the area..

They accordingly encouraged the President to throw his hat in the ring for the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking at the Kwara South Leaders’ Roundtable in Oro, Irepodun Local Government Area, Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Oyelola Ashiru, said the district had every reason to align with President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) because of the appointments and federal attention given to their people.

The roundtable was themed “Unity for Progress: Charting a Sustainable Future for Kwara South.”

“There will be a new Kwara South. You will be inspired, you will be taught a new lesson, and you will see the changes yourself.

“If President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not making Nigeria a great nation, I would not remain in APC,” he said.

Senator Ashiru said the endorsement was driven by a vision for progress and not politics, adding that “we are saying this because we want Nigeria to be great. We are saying it because we want Kwara South to develop.

“The President has recognised us and has done so much for us. The best thing any leader can stand on is the interest of his people.”

Ashiru also praised Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s strides in education, especially in Kwara South, urging him not to retire after 2027 but take on bigger responsibilities at the national level.

He further expressed his support for any son or daughter of Kwara South who may contest the governorship in future.

In his remarks, Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Otunba Abiodun Ajiboye, also emphasised that unity is the foundation for development.

“Kwara South desires a platform for unity. Only when we are united can we think of development.

“We must also appreciate our Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for the wonderful work he is doing,” he noted.

In his remarks, one of the opinion moulders in the district, Chief Abiodun Dada, called for political harmony among stakeholders, stressing that unity is the key to sustainable growth in the district.

“Our elders say one tree cannot make a forest. In the same way, no single town or group can build the future of Kwara South alone. Unity is the very heartbeat of development”, he said.

Dada highlighted the gains of the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that Kwara South has never enjoyed the kind of recognition it has now, pointing to appointments such as the Deputy Senate Leader, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the Group Managing Director of NNPCL.

“Have we enjoyed political patronage like this before? The answer is no. This is a clear indication that Kwara South has a greater future in this dispensation”, he stated, urging leaders to work towards securing the governorship in 2027.

Former APC chairman in Kwara State, Bashir Omolaja Bolarinwa, aligned with the resolution, commending the people of Kwara South for coming together to endorse President Tinubu.

“Genuine, dedicated, courageous, progressive, forward-looking people of Kwara South have gathered here to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office given his track record,” Bolarinwa said.

In a statement, the President asked suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resume work on Thursday, September 18.

He also asked Ngozi Nma Odu, the Deputy Governor, and Rivers lawmakers resume their duties.

The emergency rule was declared in the state six months ago.

Tinubu said: “My Fellow countrymen and, in particular, the good people of Rivers State.*

“I am happy to address you today on the state of emergency declaration in Rivers State. You will recall that on 18th March, 2025, I proclaimed a state of emergency in the state. In my proclamation address, I highlighted the reasons for the declaration.

“The summary of it for context is that there was a total paralysis of governance in Rivers State, which had led to the Governor of Rivers State and the House of Assembly being unable to work together. Critical economic assets of the State, including oil pipelines, were being vandalised. The State House of Assembly was crisis-ridden, such that members of the House were divided into two groups. Four members worked with the Governor, while 27 members opposed the Governor. The latter group supported the Speaker. As a result, the Governor could not present any Appropriation Bill to the House, to enable him to access funds to run Rivers State’s affairs.

“That serious constitutional impasse brought governance in the State to a standstill. Even the Supreme Court, in one of its judgments in a series of cases filed by the Executive and the Legislative arms of Rivers State against each other, held that there was no government in Rivers State. My intervention and that of other well-meaning Nigerians to resolve the conflict proved abortive as both sides stuck rigidly to their positions to the detriment of peace and development of the State.

“It therefore became painfully inevitable that to arrest the drift towards anarchy in Rivers State, I was obligated to invoke the powers conferred on me by Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, to proclaim the state of emergency. The Offices of the Governor, Deputy Governor, and elected members of the State House of Assembly were suspended for six months in the first instance. The six months expire today, September 17th, 2025.

“I thank the National Assembly, which, after critically evaluating the justification for the proclamation, took steps immediately, as required by the Constitution, to approve the declaration in the interest of peace and order in Rivers State. I also thank our traditional rulers and the good people of Rivers State for their support from the date of the declaration of the state of emergency until now.

“I am not unaware that there were a few voices of dissent against the proclamation, which led to their instituting over 40 cases in the courts in Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Yenagoa, to invalidate the declaration. That is the way it should be in a democratic setting. Some cases are still pending in the courts as of today. *But what needs to be said is that the power to declare a state of emergency is an inbuilt constitutional tool to address situations of actual or threatened breakdown of public order and public safety, which require extraordinary measures to return the State to peace, order and security.

“Considered objectively, we had reached that situation of total breakdown of public order and public safety in Rivers State, as shown in the judgment of the Supreme Court on the disputes between the Executive and the Legislative arm of Rivers State. It would have been a colossal failure on my part as President not to have made that proclamation.

“As a stakeholder in democratic governance, I believe that the need for a harmonious existence and relationship between the executive and the legislature is key to a successful government, whether at the state or national level. The people who voted us into power expect to reap the fruits of democracy. However, that expectation will remain unrealizable in an atmosphere of violence, anarchy, and insecurity borne by misguided political activism and Machiavellian manipulations among the stakeholders.

“I am happy today that, from the intelligence available to me, there is a groundswell of a new spirit of understanding, a robust readiness, and potent enthusiasm on the part of all the stakeholders in Rivers State for an immediate return to democratic governance. This is undoubtedly a welcome development for me and a remarkable achievement for us. I therefore do not see why the state of emergency should exist a day longer than the six months I had pronounced at the beginning of it.

“It therefore gives me great pleasure to declare that the emergency in Rivers State of Nigeria shall end with effect from midnight today. The Governor, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, the deputy governor, Her Excellency Ngozi Nma Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the speaker, Martins Amaewhule, will resume work in their offices from 18 September 2025.

“I take this opportunity to remind the Governors and the Houses of Assembly of all the States of our country to continue to appreciate that it is only in an atmosphere of peace, order, and good government that we can deliver the dividends of democracy to our people. I implore all of you to let this realisation drive your actions at all times.”

In a recent nationwide opinion poll assessing the performance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet members, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammad Matawalle, emerged as the most performing minister in security. The survey sampled views across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, reflecting growing public confidence in his ability to drive strategies that directly confront the country’s complex security challenges. Since assuming office in 2023, Matawalle has steadily carved out a reputation as one of the administration’s most active voices on national defence. Working closely with the Minister of Defence, the service chiefs, and other security stakeholders, he has been instrumental in strengthening collaboration among the armed forces and initiating reforms targeted at insurgency, banditry, and cross-border crimes.

The poll, which was widely discussed across media and policy circles, shows that Nigerians are paying close attention to how security matters are being handled under Tinubu’s leadership. Respondents in the North West and North Central regions areas most affected by banditry and insurgency credited Matawalle’s office with championing military offensives, improving intelligence sharing, and taking a hands on approach through visits to crisis zones. Many see his active presence and swift interventions as a departure from past practices where government officials often kept their distance from affected communities.

Analysts note that the poll’s outcome speaks not only to Matawalle’s rising profile within Tinubu’s cabinet but also to a broader demand by Nigerians for results driven governance. Security remains one of the administration’s toughest challenges, and the minister’s recognition suggests that citizens are beginning to identify clear efforts and results in that direction. Political observers believe this rating could further boost the administration’s credibility as it works to reassure Nigerians that reforms in the defence sector are yielding impact.

Still, experts caution that much work remains to be done. Nigeria’s security crisis is deeply layered, with terrorism, banditry, oil theft, and urban crime continuing to stretch the country’s security architecture. While military operations have recorded notable successes, addressing the underlying socio economic causes of insecurity will require more holistic strategies, ranging from poverty reduction and education to stronger governance at the state and local levels.

Nevertheless, Matawalle’s emergence as the most performing minister in security underscores a significant shift in how Nigerians perceive leadership and accountability. It signals that citizens are not only monitoring the government’s promises but are also willing to recognize and reward performance where it is evident. As President Tinubu’s administration advances, the spotlight on ministers like Matawalle reflects a growing expectation that public service must translate into visible impact. For now, his recognition by the public stands as both an endorsement of progress and a reminder that the nation’s security demands continuous, determined, and innovative leadership.