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Zamfara APC Congress: Valid, No Court Can Set It Aside -Shinkafi
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Dr Sani Abdulahi Shinkafi has stated that the ward congresses conducted by the party at weekend in Zamafara State remain valid and that no court can set it aside as it conformed to all constitutional provisions.
This is as he stated that the former Governor of Zamfara State Abdulazeez Yari and Senator Kabiru Marafa are trying to enact what they did in 2019 and sabotage the efforts of the APC to win the 2023 general elections.
Shinkafi called on the National leadership of the party to apply sanctions by expelling them from the party.
Reacting to the boycott of the said congresses by the former Governor of Zamfara State Abdulazeez Yari and his supporters and Senator Kabiru Marafa and his supporters Shinkafi stated that their protests amounts to a non-issue as they are not registered members of the party.
According to him “ Sen Kabiru Marafa and Abdul’aziz Yari, don’t have any genuine reason to go to court because they were not registered as members of APC during the last concluded APC revalidation/ registration exercise, because after the defection of the Governor Bello Mattawalle to APC they refused to validate their membership of the party. You cannot build something on nothing, you cannot build a house without a concrete foundation?
“When you have not been registered as a duly member of APC So, what locus standi do you have to challenge the exercise in court? Since they do not have membership cards as duly registered members of APC, they lack the locus to challenge any decision taken by the party. Party register are used for the conduct Congresses and Primary election. All the party registers must be duly certified by the National headquarter of APC Abuja, their names are not in the registers.
Therefore, with this development as far as I am concerned there is no faction in Zamfara APC and the Congresses conducted last Saturday remained valid no Court can it set-aside” he added.
Shinkafi noted that “what I want to say here is that sometimes politicians talk any how and when I look at them I laugh, it is very unfortunate for somebody who has been a Governor for eight years and a Senator to look down at the party leadership, trying to constitute themselves as bigger than the party, be as an Island. What I am saying is that the faction of Sen Kabiru Marafa and Abdul’aziz Yari, are the same.
To say it clearly, I have never believed Kabiru Marafa has a faction in APC because since February this year everybody knows he has reconciled with the Abdul’aziz Yari faction thereby his faction seized to exist and all his structures has been collapsed.
“After he reconciled with Abdul’aziz Yari, I don’t think he has any faction any more. So for Sen Kabiru Marafa to now to claim that he held a congress leaving Abdul’aziz Yari it means that the reconciliation is not sincere and that there was no reconciliation, means that they are being economical with the truth.
This is because if somebody can come to the public or go to print and electronic media and even some social media Network to pronounce his reconciliation with former Governor Abdul’aziz Yari and today when the National leadership of APC came to conduct ward Congresses, then he claims to have reconstituted himself again as a factional leader, then he is truly fooling himself, his followers and the followers of Abdul’aziz Yari.
“So, to me what Kabiru Marafa is doing now I regard it as childish, because if after the meeting they conveyed in Kaduna and resolved that Hon Lawali. M Liman the former state Chairman of the party and also former state caretaker chairman of the party had resolved to back out of the ward Congress claiming that there is a suit pending before the Federal High Court and that is why they did not partake in the Congress in obedience of order of Federal High Court Gusau Division that all parties are enjoined to maintain status quo pending the determination of the suit filed before it by and large I think they have no genuine reason in my opinion not partake in the election legally, in simple terms they have forfeited their rights.
He pointed out that “the question here is how manage that Abdul’aziz Yari and Kabiru Marafa fought again, and if it happened that they fought I think Sen Kabiru Marafa should come out and tell the public of the misunderstanding that led to their fight. If that has happened, then it is very unfortunate and they are just playing with Nigerians intelligence and the members of APC.
“Another question to answer by Sen Kabiru Marafa is that how manage he now conducted a Congress when he has no officials from the headquarters of the party to supervise or monitor or observe the conduct of the Congress as it was in the constitution? Among the constitutional duty of the Independent Electoral Commission INEC, it was clearly spelt out in the constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended, that the INEC shall supervise, observe and monitor the operation of political party, and in Electoral act 2010 as amended it was clearly spelt out that all parties primaries in Section 85 of the Electoral act, all party primaries shall be monitored, supervised and observed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)through its department of election monitoring political supervising liaison which is headed by the Director in the INEC headquarter and in all offices of the state Electoral National Commission INEC. In that case if Sen Kabiru Marafa said he has conducted a Congress, how manage he failed to get INEC officials for them to give legitimacy to his congress if indeed it happened. And again, how did he go and fabricate the names of those he claimed to have conducted the congress which were also sent by the National headquarter of APC under the leadership of Acting National Chairman of our great party H.E Mai Mala Buni
Shinkafi said that “What politicians don’t understand is that each and every political party in Nigeria has an operational guidelines and internal regulations, political parties are guided by its constitution. Each and every content of that constitution is binding on each and every member of that political party as far as the member is a card carrying member of APC. So, I urge all members of All Progressives Congress APC, to read the constitution of the party.
“There is recent by Supreme Court Judgement H.E Rotimi Ameachi faction Vs Senator Magnus Abe Faction.
In that judgment delivered on the day 5th March, 2021 by her lordship Justice Amina Augie she clearly stated that a court shall not conduct and entertain the internal affairs of a political party. So, if today Mai Mala Buni the acting National chairman has sent a delegation to conduct ward Congress with reference to the recent Supreme court judgement, there is no court in Nigeria that can give order to stop the conduct of the Congresses and National Convention of a political party and in this scenario no court in Nigeria can invalidate the outcome of this Zamfara State ward Congresses.
“A High Court Birnin Kudu had ordered INEC to publish Hon Chukwuma Umeoji‘s name as the nominated candidate of APGA for the Anambra governorship elections but the judgement of the High Court was appealed to Court of Appeal Kano Division and the Supreme court finally delivered judgement that Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo is the authentic Governorship candidate nominated by the National leadership of APGA for 6th November 2021 , and ordered that the court lacks jurisdiction to invalidate the decision of political party as it is an internal affairs of the party.The decision of a party is supreme.
On the decision of Sen Kabiru Marafa to challenge the Acting National Chairman of APC Mai Mala Buni in Court, Shinkafi pointed out “with this development if Sen Kabiru Marafa said he will go to court to challenge the APC and the Acting National Chairman, he has proved to the members of the public that he is ignorant of the supreme court of Nigeria judgement. Challenging His excellency Mai Mala Buni in court over the conduct of Congresses by the Zamfara State APC by Sen Kabiru Marafa will make no meaningful impact as they are going to waste their time and resources as they are no longer members of the APC, they have no locus standi as he is not a registered member of the APC, he is a meddlesome interloper. And there was no violation of the party’s constitution.
“But in a situation where there is a violation of the Nigerian constitution or non compliance with the provisions of electoral act 2010 as amended, then members of that political party who feel aggrieved has the right to file a suit in court to challenge the illegality of what party did. For Sen Kabiru Marafa and Abdul’aziz Yari, they don’t have any genuine reason to go to court because they are not registered as members of APC, as they failed to register during the just concluded APC revalidation and registration exercise after the defection of the Governor Bello Mattawalle to APC they refused to validate their party membership.
He debunked media reports that reported parallel ward congresses in the state.
“As far as I am concerned, there is no APC faction in the state; the ward congresses was conducted and it is over. We have done it and it is concluded.
“Our ward congresses is genuine and constitutional. There was no parallel ward congress apart from the one organized by the recognized party structure in the state”.
Shinkafi further explained that there was no court order that stopped them from holding the congress.
He said Senator Kabiru Marafa faction does not exist because there was an agreed reconciliation.
“After nine months, Marafa has come to say there is faction which I believe is not in existence in the state”.
According to him, Marafa faction of the APC did not exist any more. “Who is his factional state chairman? Shinkafi asked.
He stressed that Yari and Marafa held joint reconciliatory meetings with most of the members of the defunct G8 in Kaduna and Abuja.
“How would Marafa’s faction play with the intelligence of their uneducated followers? he stated.
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has reassured the public that safety remains the overriding priority of Enugu Air following Thursday’s runway excursion involving one of the airline’s aircraft at Benin Airport.
Reacting to the incident for the first time in a statement personally signed on Friday, the governor expressed sympathy with the passengers and crew members on board the aircraft, while thanking God that no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded.
The Embraer E170 aircraft, operating as Flight 4264 from Lagos to Benin, experienced a runway excursion after landing at Benin Airport on Thursday.
Mbah said the state government was closely monitoring the situation and pledged full cooperation with aviation authorities investigating the incident.
“The Enugu State Government is aware of the incident of a runway excursion affecting Enugu Air, Embraer E170, Flight 4264, operating into Benin Airport from Lagos on Thursday, July 23, 2026.
“The government empathises with the 63 passengers and five crew members on board the aircraft over the traumatic experience and is thankful to God that no life was lost and no injuries have so far been reported,” the governor said.
He commended the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) for swiftly launching an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, assuring that Enugu Air would cooperate fully with investigators and relevant regulatory agencies.
“The government commends the swiftness of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) in embarking on the ongoing investigation to determine the circumstances and factors that may have led to the incident. The government will ensure the full cooperation of its going concern, Enugu Air, with the investigation and regulatory authorities,” Mbah stated.
While urging the public to await the outcome of the investigation, the governor maintained that the airline operates under stringent safety protocols that place passenger welfare above commercial interests.
“While the outcome of the investigation is awaited, the government assures the public that the operations of Enugu Air are guided by the highest safety standards. The airline is founded on a corporate culture that places safety above profit and schedule, and its quality assurance and quality control systems stipulate a safety threshold that is considerably higher than the industry benchmark,” he said.
Mbah said the airline’s uncompromising safety culture had contributed significantly to the growing confidence and patronage it had enjoyed since commencing operations.
“This accounts for the growing confidence and patronage the airline has continued to enjoy from both passengers and industry stakeholders. Enugu Air will therefore continue to serve its teeming customers and abide by its utmost commitment to safety, professionalism, and a sense of hospitality,” he added.
The governor also expressed appreciation to Nigerians for the widespread support and goodwill shown to the airline in the aftermath of the incident, noting that many passengers had continued to share positive experiences about flying with Enugu Air.
“We wish to express our profound gratitude to Nigerians for the outpouring of solidarity since the unfortunate incident. Quite uncommonly, Nigerians have continued to share their positive experiences with Enugu Air since it was launched a year ago. This matters so much to us as a government at this time,” Mbah said.
The runway excursion involving the state-owned carrier has drawn national attention. However, with all 63 passengers and five crew members safely evacuated, attention has now shifted to the outcome of the ongoing investigation by aviation authorities.
Amupitan gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to former Head of State and Chairman of the National Peace Committee, General Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd.), at his residence in Minna, Niger State, on Friday.
The commission’s chairman led a delegation comprising National Commissioners, the Secretary to the Commission, directors and his technical aides.
Amupitan described Abubakar as “the father of democracy in Nigeria”, noting that his transition to civilian rule in 1999 marked a defining moment in the country’s democratic history.
The INEC chairman said the commission regarded the former Head of State “not merely as a statesman but as a pillar of support for INEC.”
He also commended Abubakar’s role as Chairman of the National Peace Committee, describing its Peace Accord initiative as “a moralising influence on Nigeria’s political ecosystem.”
According to INEC, Amupitan said the initiative had provided political actors with a platform to commit to non-violence, thereby strengthening “the sovereignty of the will of the Nigerian people.”
The INEC chairman told Abubakar that, regardless of the pressures confronting the commission, it remained committed to ensuring that the will of Nigerians as expressed at the polls would prevail.
He said, “The Commission’s determination under my leadership was to see ordinary Nigerians go out and vote, confident that their votes would be duly counted and reflected in the outcome of elections,” describing this as “the core assurance INEC owed the electorate.”
Amupitan also formally confirmed the dates for the 2027 general elections.
According to INEC, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.
Abubakar, in turn, called on Nigerians to support INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has approved the expansion of the Nigerian Army’s structure from eight to twelve divisions—a landmark move to enhance the country’s security architecture and improve the operational effectiveness of the Nigerian Army.
In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on (Information & Strategy) Bayo Onanuga says, “this approval underscores the President’s unwavering commitment to equipping the Armed Forces to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges effectively and to strengthen national defence capabilities further.”According to the statement, “the expansion builds on the Administration’s sustained investments in the Armed Forces, including approval for the recruitment of 28,000 additional personnel, acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, improvements in troop welfare, and ongoing support for operational readiness and force modernisation.”Under the new structure, the Nigerian Army will operate twelve divisions, strategically positioned across the country as follows:1. 1 Division Headquarters – Kaduna (Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa States)2. 2 Division Headquarters – Ibadan (Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States)3. 3 Division Headquarters – Jos (Plateau, Bauchi and Gombe States)4. 5 Division Headquarters – Makurdi (Benue, Nasarawa and Kogi States)5. 6 Division Headquarters – Port Harcourt (Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States)6. 7 Division Headquarters – Maiduguri (Borno and Yobe States)7. 8 Division Headquarters – Sokoto (Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara States)8. 9 Division Headquarters – Ilorin (Kwara and Niger States)9. 10 Division Headquarters – Jalingo (Taraba and Adamawa States)10. 81 Division Headquarters – Lagos (Lagos and Ogun States)11. 82 Division Headquarters – Enugu (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States)12. 83 Division Headquarters – Benin City (Edo, Delta and Bayelsa States).The establishment of the new Divisions in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City will significantly improve command and control, decentralise operational decision-making, strengthen border security, enhance the protection of critical national infrastructure, improve counter-insurgency and internal security operations, and ensure faster military response to emerging threats nationwide.Implementation of the new force structure will be done in two phases.
The Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF) worldwide, a pan-Igbo socioeconomic pressure group, has urged the Federal Government to direct the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) to supply Dangote Petroleum Refinery adequate crude.
The Chairman of NUF, Chief Augustine Chukwudum, made the call on Wednesday in Enugu while reacting to Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s move to start direct sales of refined Petroleum products in dollars.
It would be recalled that a top management official of the Dangote Group said that its refinery was receiving just four million barrels of crude oil monthly under the arrangement, instead of about 13 million barrels envisaged after President Bola Tinubu’s 2024 directive.
The refinery had attributed its decision to switch from naira-denominated fuel sales domestically to dollar transactions to the crude supply shortfall, saying it would also increase exports of refined petroleum products to earn foreign exchange.
Chukwudum called on the Federal Government to intervene urgently before things get out of hand and Nigerians suffer the more.
According to him, fuel price remains major determinant of prices of other commodities and services in the country as transport cost depends on.
“Things are bound to get worst if the Federal Government neglect to take immediate and decisive actions meant to better the life of the citizens.
“NUF is rasing this alarm because this administration is behaving as if they are not answerable to the people their are supposed to be serving.
“The Federal Government should direct NNPCL to supply all the crude oil needed by Dangote Refinery since the company has the capacity to meet local or domestic petroleum needs of the country.
“The government must stop all forms of fuel importation because that money been used for importation is a waste and put a pressure on our fragile foreign reserve as a nation,” he said.
The NUF boss noted that the refinery company must be allowed to pay in naira with this move, suffering of citizens would be curtailed.
Chukwudum also reiterated the call of the group for the Federal Government to set up judicial panel of inquiry to look into the account of NNPCL for some years now.
A commotion reportedly erupted at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State after some officials were accused of demanding ₦2,000 from applicants before processing voter registration and Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
The allegation surfaced in a video circulating on social media, which showed what appeared to be a heated confrontation between applicants and officials at the electoral commission’s office.
According to a resident who narrated the incident in the video, some INEC officials allegedly insisted that applicants pay ₦2,000 before their voter registration or PVC processing could be completed.
The situation reportedly escalated when one of the applicants challenged the alleged demand, insisting that voter registration and PVC-related services are free and should not attract any payment.
The applicant was said to have confronted the officials and attempted to record the exchange with a mobile phone, triggering a heated argument that attracted other applicants and bystanders.
Although raised voices and a commotion could be heard in the footage, the circumstances surrounding the incident could not be independently verified.
The video has since sparked reactions on social media, with many Nigerians condemning the alleged extortion and calling on INEC to investigate the incident and sanction anyone found culpable.
INEC has consistently maintained that voter registration services are free of charge. These include fresh registration, collection of PVCs, transfer of voter information, correction of personal details, and replacement of lost or damaged PVCs.
The commission has also repeatedly urged members of the public to report any cases of extortion, bribery or illegal charges involving its permanent or ad hoc staff during voter registration and PVC distribution.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had not issued an official statement specifically addressing the allegations involving its Onitsha South Local Government Area office.
The incident comes as the electoral commission continues its nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC has also introduced an online self-service platform to enable prospective voters and existing registrants to complete several registration-related processes conveniently, while reiterating that voter registration services remain free of charge.
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