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APC Presidential Primary: Persuade Aspirants To Accept Consensus, Buhari Tells Akande, Nnamani, Others

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President Muhammadu Buhari has appraised the series of consultations held so far toward getting a widely acceptable presidential standard-bearer for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)

Femi Adesina, the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, in a statement, said Mr. Buhari stated this at a meeting held on Sunday at State House, Abuja, with members of the ‘National Advisory Council’ of the APC.

The president said: “We are on the way towards winning our third straight victory since 2015.”

He said the meeting was convened to provide leadership and direction during the transition period, adding that the motive was “to strengthen our unity and to focus on building upon our electoral fortunes.”

“I am optimistic that the outcome of this consultation with the National Advisory Council will in addition to sharpening our focus, help to fortify the positive democratic principles, practices, and culture that already exists within the party system.

“In the course of these consultative processes, I have already met separately with the Progressive Governors and with all our eminent members who are aspiring to become the Presidential flag bearer for our party during the 2023 elections.

“I am pleased to inform you that those meetings have been fruitful and indicative of a party that is prepared and marching towards a third straight victory since 2015, at the presidential polls,” he said.

Mr. Buhari recalled that at the meeting with the governors and the aspirants, “I underscored the important roles consensus building and consultation have played in the survival of successful political parties around the world, our party should not be an exception.

“Recognizing the foregoing, therefore, I also emphasized the need to strengthen our unity, stabilize our internal cohesion and system as well as present a formidable presidential candidate who has the ability to build a unified nation and the capacity to deal with our challenges.

“The party machinery has also screened all our aspirants to the office of the president and found that they consist of eminent personalities, rich in experience, capacity, commitment to service, and accomplishment in life.

”This gives us a lot of confidence but it also comes with its challenges.”

He said that in the circumstances, in order to prevent any post-convention acrimonies and also reduce noticeable anxiety among members on the possible outcome of the process, the party leadership has recommended the intensification of consultation and consensus-building.

The president said this would reduce the number of aspirants as it approaches the convention, which commences on Monday.

He said in order to further support the efforts of the party, he had admonished the aspirants to consult among themselves and with the party, so that the objective of the recommendation by the leadership would be actualized.

The president said, as members of the National Advisory Council of the APC, he recognized the fact that they all had diverse interests, spheres of influence, and expectations.

“You similarly possess the collective ability to ensure our victory at the 2023 polls by strengthening the stability and unity of the party.

“My charge and appeal to all of you, therefore, is to reach out to your various spheres of influence to actively promote the spirit of consultation and consensus-building so that a formidable candidate for the 2023 presidential elections would emerge from the convention.

“Our citizens do not expect less from us,” he said.

Mr. Buhari gave the assurance that in the interest of the nation and the party, he would lead the transition processes and ongoing consultations, “till we successfully choose our candidate for the 2023 presidential elections and record our third straight victory, thereafter, by God’s grace.”

Responding on behalf of the National Advisory Council (hitherto known as Board of Trustees) members, former Internal Affairs Minister and Senator, Mohammed Magoro, former Osun State Governor and first Interim National Chairman of the party, Bisi Akande, and former Senate President Ken Nnamani thanked the president for the consultative meetings.

They commended him for the great service he had rendered to the country, particularly in the areas of agriculture and infrastructure.

They were unanimous that with hard work and a united front, the APC would win the presidential election billed for February 2023, as well as National Assembly, governorship, and State Assembly polls. (NAN)

BIG STORY

FULL LIST: Tinubu Appoints IBB’s Son, Muhammad Babangida Chairman Bank Of Agriculture, Others As Heads Of Govt Agencies

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Muhammad Babangida, the son of the former military President, as chairman of the revamped Bank of Agriculture.

President Tinubu approved the appointment today, along with seven others. Some of them will serve as chairmen or directors-general of Federal agencies.

Muhammad Babangida, 53, is an alumnus of the European University in Montreux, Switzerland, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Public Relations and Business Communication. He later attended Harvard Business School’s Executive Program on Corporate Governance in 2002.

Others appointed by the President are:

Lydia Kalat Musa (Kaduna State) Chairman, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA).

Jamilu Wada Aliyu (Kano State) Chairman, National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).

The Hon. Yahuza Ado Inuwa (Kano State) is the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) chairman.

Sanusi Musa (SAN, Kano State) is the Chairman of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution(IPCR).

Prof. Al-Mustapha Alhaji Aliyu (Sokoto State) is the Director-General of the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA).

Sanusi Garba Rikiji (Zamfara State) is the Director-General of the Nigerian Office for Trade Negotiations (NOTN).

Mrs Tomi Somefun (Oyo State) is the Managing Director of the National Hydro-Electric Power Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC).

Dr Abdulmumini Mohammed Aminu-Zaria (Kaduna State) has been appointed Executive Director of the Nigerian Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC).

 

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

July 18, 2025

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BIG STORY

Buhari Never Wanted To Congratulate Saraki, Dogara After Emerging Senate President, Speaker — Femi Adesina

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Femi Adesina, who served as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, revealed that Buhari was initially unwilling to congratulate Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara after they controversially became Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives in 2015.

Adesina shared this in a tribute to Buhari, reflecting on his early experience as the president’s media aide and the difficulty of balancing loyalty with professional duty.

He explained that the incident happened just nine days after he took up the role of presidential spokesman.

According to Adesina, Saraki and Dogara emerged as leaders of the National Assembly against the preference of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Although their emergence was viewed as defiant, it still adhered to constitutional norms.

“I told the President we needed to congratulate them. He balked. But I stood my ground. He said no, I also said no. I said it would portray him as undemocratic,” Adesina wrote.

He noted that Buhari later agreed to issue the statement, making only a small addition to the final version.

“At the end of the day, he reasoned with me and the statement was written, with him just adding one word,” he stated.

“Keeping to his word is part of the famed integrity. Argue with me. If you have a better point, I’ll agree with you.”

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BIG STORY

Road To 2027: Everyone Afraid Of Atiku — Dele Momodu Claims As He Joins ADC

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Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation International, has said that “everyone is afraid” of former vice-president Atiku Abubakar.

He made this remark while giving reasons for leaving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to join the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

Momodu also confirmed that he would be backing Atiku in the 2027 presidential election.

During an appearance on Channels TV on Thursday, Momodu stated that his endorsement of Atiku stems from a strategic understanding of Nigeria’s political dynamics.

He said: “Everybody is afraid of Atiku, and that is exactly why I, Dele Momodu, support him.

“The fear the ruling party has for him shows he remains the most formidable opposition figure today.

“When everyone is trying to discredit or silence a man, it means he’s the one they truly fear.”

Momodu previously ran for president in 2011 and took part in the PDP presidential primaries in 2022.

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