Politics
APC Crisis: Buni, Marafa Trade Words
The political spat between the National Chairman, Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State and one of the party’s chieftains and former Senator representing Zamfara Central, Senator Kabiru Marafa, got messier on Monday as both men continued to issue threats through their proxies.
The party on its part has threatened to wield the big stick on Senator Marafa over his verbal attacks on Governor Buni.
The threats came 24 hours after Senator Marafa declared the CECPC an illegal contraption and vowed to ensure its dissolution through the Judiciary.
However, in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja and signed by the National Secretary of the CECPC, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, the party warned Senator Marafa against insubordination.
Marafa in his own statement asked the CECPC to stop grandstanding and address all issues he raised at last Sunday’s news conference.
Spokesman of the Marafa faction of the APC, Hon. Bello Bakyasuwa Maradun in a statement said “in his courageous and issues-driven politics, Senator Kabiru Marafa raised pertinent points that undermined the legality of the APC National leadership under Mai-Mala Buni while equally providing the rationale for his APC-led faction to conduct a parallel congress”.
According to him, “it is interesting that the issues raised by Senator Marafa did not sit well with the so-called caretaker leadership of APC under Mai-Mala Buni through a statement attributed to one Mamman Mohammed who called himself DG, Press and Media Affairs to Governor Mai-Mala Buni.
“We want to thank the DG for acknowledging the fact that Sen Marafa is a responsible politician. But instead of addressing the issues raised by Senator Marafa against his boss, Mr. Mamman went bluffing and describing the actions of the highly respected Senator as “political suicide” and advising on the obvious stance of going to court which Senator Marafa unequivocally stated in all his statements.
“In responding to his statement, we consider it imperative for Mai-Mala and his co-travellers on the road to perdition to what the famous boxing champion, Mohammed Ali said, Bragging is when a man says what he can’t do. I do what I say.
“We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted by the outburst of Mr Mai-Mala’s spokesman and lose sight of the real issues raised by Distinguished Senator Marafa.
“For the records, Senator Marafa took Mai-Mala Buni upon the stupendous and scandalous amount of money and assets he declared in his Code of Conduct form as published by Sahara Reporters which are not justifiable in the context of his family and or business antecedents.
“Senator Marafa also related the misguided actions of Mai-Mala Buni as products of his lack of formal education, his history of never attending a school and challenged him (Mai Mala) to mention the legitimate schools he (Mai Mala) ever attended.
“Senator Marafa also recalled how he and Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i were instrumental to Mai-Mala’s emergence as APC National Secretary and went further to mention names of some eminent personalities that are all alive as witnesses to his claim, such as the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Senate President Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Lawal, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, Sen Ali Modu Sherif and so on, on these grounds. Senator Marafa questioned the moral disposition of Mr Mai-Mala Buni’s arrogant and undemocratic ways of doing things in APC generally and Zamfara in particular as if he has a pedigree beyond being a councillor, PA to the governor then party National Secretary before becoming a governor.
“One would have thought Mamman would debunk these claims or get across to one or all the eminent personalities mentioned by Sen Marafa to debunk the claim”.
Buni in the statement signed by Sen. Akpanudoedehe warned Sen. Marafa not to reduce party issues to a personality contest.
“The Party urges Sen. Marafa and his cohorts not to reduce the political issues to a contest of personalities but submit to party supremacy and internal dispute resolution structures adequately provided for by the APC Constitution. Anything outside this amounts to insubordination and indiscipline and the APC constitution is very clear on this”, Akpanudoedehe stated.
On allegations that it bent the rules in the conduct of the hitherto suspended Congresses in Zamfara State, the CECPC said; “Our attention has been drawn to uninformed and misguided comments by Senator Kabiru Marafa regarding the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ward Congresses held in Zamfara State on Saturday 13th, November 2021.
“While the APC will not join issues with Senator Marafa who is supposed to be one of the party leaders in Zamfara State but chooses to denigrate the party and its leaders, it is important to set the records straight.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the APC received intelligence reports bordering on the security of the Zamfara State APC Ward Congress Committee, hence the need to temporarily suspend their activities. That necessitated the letter of 5th November 2021 to the Chairman of the Committee, Alh. Ibrahim Kabir Masari, only.
“After, evaluation and consultations, the Committee, in a letter dated 10th November 2021 was okayed to proceed with the conduct of the Zamfara State Ward Congresses on Saturday 13th, November 2021, which Sen. Marafa participated. This had nothing to do with the 21 days notice for the conduct of Wards, Local Government Areas and State Congresses in Zamfara State earlier sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which subsists.
“The letter to Alh. Ibrahim Kabir Masari which Sen. Marafa is brandishing is an internal administrative correspondence and was not copied to INEC nor any other agency or person(s) as the case may be.
“This clarification is necessary to guide Sen. Marafa and his cohorts who seem bent on misleading our teeming party members in Zamfara State”.
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.
Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.