Category: Politics

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has issued a strong rebuke to politicians promising to serve only one term in office, describing such pledges as dishonest and a sign of mental instability. Speaking during a political engagement in Awka on Thursday, Soludo stated that no serious politician with genuine developmental goals would commit to a single term, especially in a challenging political and economic environment like Nigeria’s. “Any politician promising to do just one term needs psychiatric evaluation,” Soludo said bluntly. “Such people are either lying or don’t understand the magnitude of governance. Real transformation takes time, planning, and continuity.” His comment comes amid growing political tension and debate in Anambra State as the 2025 governorship election draws near. The issue of zoning and power rotation has taken center stage, with some southern aspirants proposing a single-term agreement as a way to convince voters and political blocs to support them. Soludo, who is from the southern part of the state and currently serving his first term, has been a vocal advocate for performance-based governance rather than ethnic or zonal sentiments. While he did not mention any candidate by name, observers believe his remark was targeted at aspirants attempting to breach the informal zoning agreement in Anambra, which rotates the governorship among the three senatorial districts — North, South, and Central. Last week, prominent political figures from Anambra North, including some traditional rulers and community leaders, warned against attempts by Southern politicians to contest the 2025 election, insisting that the North should retain the seat to complete its turn. Soludo’s intervention appears to align with the growing call for political sincerity and competence over what he described as “emotional blackmail and gimmicks.” “Let’s not deceive our people. Development is not magic. If someone tells you they’ll fix decades of dysfunction in four years and leave, they’re either lying or need serious help,” Soludo added. He urged voters to focus on candidates with proven integrity, competence, and a realistic agenda rather than be swayed by “cosmetic pledges designed to win cheap votes.” With Soludo yet to officially declare his re-election bid, political watchers say his recent statements are part of a broader effort to shape the narrative ahead of the 2025 contest.

The internal crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has deepened as the party’s Deputy National Chairman, Hon. Nafiu Bala, declared himself the Interim National Chairman. Hon. Bala accused certain leaders within the party of hijacking its structures and undermining its constitution, describing their actions as “political hooliganism and lawlessness.” He alleged that the party’s mandate had been surrendered to outsiders with no affiliation to the ADC, calling the move a violation of the party’s founding principles. “The attempt to replace elected officials with political strangers is unconstitutional, and I will resist it through every legal means available,” Bala stated. Citing the ADC constitution, Hon. Bala claimed he is empowered, as the duly elected Deputy Chairman, to assume leadership in the absence of a legitimate structure. He therefore declared himself Acting National Chairman. He also called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the development and uphold the constitutionality of his new position.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a one-year extension for the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, whose tenure was originally set to expire on August 31, 2025. According to a statement from the Presidency, the extension will allow Mr. Adeniyi to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete key initiatives, including: President Tinubu commended Mr. Adeniyi for his leadership and dedication to public service, expressing confidence that the extension will strengthen the Customs Service in fulfilling its core mandate of trade facilitation, revenue generation, and border security.

The Kaduna State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has debunked widespread reports suggesting that former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has been suspended or expelled from the party. The party described the reports as false, unauthorized, and aimed at causing political mischief. In a statement released on Monday, the State Publicity Secretary of the SDP, Hon. Darius Kurah, strongly refuted the claims, asserting that they were fabricated to mislead the public and destabilize the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. Kurah specifically discredited a statement attributed to one Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, who was presented in media reports as the party’s National Publicity Secretary. “Araba Rufus Aiyenigba is not the National Publicity Secretary of the SDP,” Kurah stated. “That position is currently held by Ambassador Judith Shua’ibu, and any statement issued by Aiyenigba in that capacity is null, unauthorized, and of no consequence.” The party emphasized that no disciplinary process—such as a query, appearance before a disciplinary panel, or formal suspension—had been initiated against El-Rufai, either at the ward level or by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). Reacting to allegations that El-Rufai was secretly promoting the interests of rival political parties, Kurah dismissed the claims as “baseless and unsubstantiated.” He confirmed that while El-Rufai is a registered member of the SDP, he holds no official position and has not violated any party rule or engaged in anti-party activities. Describing the suspension rumors as “cheap propaganda,” Kurah accused certain political actors, including elements linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC), of attempting to foment internal division. “This misleading publication appears to be a politically motivated attempt to create confusion within our ranks and among the public,” he said. The Kaduna SDP called on its members and the general public to disregard the false claims, reaffirming that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai remains a bona fide member of the party in good standing. “No such disciplinary action has been taken against Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, and we urge all well-meaning Nigerians to ignore such fake news,” the statement concluded.