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Presidency backs Christian Senate president, Betara, Gagdi step down
It explained that Nigeria could not afford to have a Muslim as a Senate President at this time having produced Muslims as President and the Vice-President.
Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who said these at a dinner with lawmakers across party lines in Abuja on Saturday night, noted that the party came up with the consensus ticket of Senator GodsWill Akpabio as Senate President and Jibrin Barau as Deputy in the interest of the stability of the country.
Shettima said this as two aspirants for the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aliyu Betara and Yusuf Gagdi, were reported to have stepped down.
Explaining the position of President Bola Tinubu, the Vice-President said Nigeria could not afford to have a Muslim as a Senate President since both the President and VP are Muslims, stressing that the President of the Senate should be a Christian.
The uproar over the same faith presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress which featured Tinubu and Shettima in the run-up to the February 25 presidential poll.
Having won the election, parliamentarians and other stakeholders had been clamouring for the balance of power and inclusivity, insisting that a Christian must be included in the nation’s top power hierarchy.
In response to this, the APC’s National Working Committee zoned the Senate President to the South-South and nominated Akpabio, a Christian, as the preferred candidate and Senator Jibrin Barau from North-West for Deputy Senate President.
Similarly, the party nominated Tajudeen Abbas (Kaduna/North-West) for Speaker; and Benjamin Kalu (Abia/South-East) for Deputy Speaker.
However, some aspirants for the Senate Presidency and the Speaker have continued to insist on contesting for the positions in open defiance of the zoning arrangement announced by the ruling party in early May.
The recalcitrant contestants including Senators Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara West), Orji Kalu ( Abia North) and Osita Izunaso ( Imo West), and Sani Musa from Niger State, said they would not step down for the party’s consensus aspirants for the two senate leadership positions.
But validating the zoning arrangement at the dinner, the Vice President attributed the APC’s decision to President Tinubu’s administration’s desire to foster inclusivity in the interest of the nation.
Senator Shettima said, “Here we are with a Muslim president and a Muslim vice president in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious polity like ours. I was a child of circumstance.
“Equity, justice, and fairness demand that the number three citizen of this country should be of the Christian faith. What binds us together supersedes whatever divides us. But most importantly, we should make deliberate efforts to take inclusivity in governance.”
Shettima further appealed to the lawmakers to consider the interest of the country above that of their pockets.
He said, “This is a young nation where every community will like to have fair representation on the dinner table of their kinsmen.
“Politics is about perception, politics is about optics. I want to appeal to you, I want to appeal to your conscience. There is stability and inclusivity and togetherness in this nation that supersedes the depth of our pockets, stability of our pockets.
“Under the current dispensation, the worst, the most incompetent southern Christian is better than the most puritanical northern Muslim for the presidency of the Senate. We are talking about the sustainability of the nation; the nation is at a crossroads.”
The Vice President submitted that some parts of the country felt excluded from the previous administration as the president, senate president, speaker and others were of the Muslim faith, adding it would be wrong to have a repeat of such a situation in the current government.
He said, “Number one, two, three, four, and five all from the same faith for God’s sake, we can’t do that. I am ready to kneel and beg my colleagues in the Senate for the sake of the nation. This is for the survival of this nation. I am even going to talk to a senator tonight just for the sake of this nation.”
The consensus candidate of the party, Senator Akpabio noted that the lawmakers were willing to work for the stability of the country.
Akpabio said, “Vice President, sir, we have committed ourselves to your administration alongside President Bola Tinubu to ensure the stability of Nigeria.”
In his comment, Senator Barau reiterated the president’s commitment to the progress, unity, and stability of the country.
He assured that the 10th Assembly would commit itself to the values of unity and peaceful co-existence of the nation.
The Director-General of the Stability group, Senator Ali Ndume, noted that the group was assured of votes from 80 lawmakers but currently has assurance from 73 senators.
Meanwhile, Emeka Nwala, the Chief Press Secretary to Senator Kalu, noted that Yari and Kalu were still in the race and not backing down.
In the same vein, the media consultant to Senator Izunaso, Kehinde Olaosebikan, noted that his boss couldn’t back down in the last days, especially knowing that he is the best man for the job.
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He said, “We have not stepped down and we are not stepping down. Sen Izunaso is the best among them, he will win. Nigeria deserves the best. It’s about service to Nigeria.
“We are not talking about being a running mate to someone. We are talking about him being the Senate President. I’m not aware if a decision has been made on a running mate with Yari.”
Speaking on the number of lawmakers on his side, he said they have several people on their side but reeling out figures wasn’t an assurance of getting people’s votes.
Efforts to get comments from Senator Yari’s camp proved abortive as phone calls made to the Assistant Director General of his campaign team, Senator Abdul Nengi failed.
In a new development, the Joint Task – 10th Assembly, a coalition of members-elect of the 10th House of Representatives across party lines, has said two leading contenders, Aliyu Betara and Yusuf Gagdi, have stepped down for the APC consensus speakership candidate.
The Tajudeen Abbas/ Benjamin Kalu Joint Task Campaign Office made the claim in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
The development is coming ahead of plans by the G-7 to announce its final resolution on the speakership race on Monday (today).
The group includes the incumbent Deputy Speaker Ahmed Wase; the Chairman of the House Committee on Navy, Yusuf Gagdi; Chairman, the House Committee on Appropriations, Aliyu Betara; Chairman, House Committee on Water Resources, Sada Soli; Chinedu Ogah, Miriam Onuoha, and Sani Jaji.
The Joint Task’s statement was titled ‘Disregard claims that Tinubu wasn’t aware of Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas’ adoption by APC…Rt. Hon. Abbas expresses readiness to win on the floor on Tuesday…as Betara, Gagdi step down for Abbas.’
The group was refuting reports that Tinubu did not expressly direct the lawmakers to vote for Abbas and Kalu during his meeting with the members-elect last week.
It partly read, “It has come to the attention of the Joint Task – 10th Assembly that some aspirants for the Speakership of the 10th House of Representatives claimed that the President/Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, never mentioned the name of Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas was his preferred candidate for Speaker, but the President only said he aligned with the position of the All Progressives Congress National Working Committee on the zoning arrangement.
“It is pertinent to mention that the so-called G-7 no longer exists as key members of the forum such as Rt. Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, Rt. Hon. Muktar Aliyu Betara, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi, Rt. Hon. Makki Yalleman and Rt. Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi, among others, have since dropped their speakership ambitions and declared support for the Abbas/Kalu ticket.
“It is worthy to note that Betara and Gagdi announced that they stepped down for Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas today, Sunday June 11, 2023 after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“As of Sunday, June 11, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas (Ph.D.) has secured the endorsement of the overwhelming majority of members-elect across the eight political parties in the six geopolitical zones, and he is ready to compete on the floor of the House and take the mantle of leadership of the 10th House come Tuesday, June 13, 2023.”
The campaign organisation stated that the APC NWC, on May 8 “consulted with the President before reaching that resolution.”
The Abbas/Kalu group added, “Therefore, it is preposterous to claim that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was not aware of the adoption of Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas as the Speaker. We urge the public, especially the media, to disregard such claims.”
Neither Betara nor Gagdi could be reached as of press time on Sunday night to confirm if they had stepped down from the speakership race, and for whom.
In the meantime, the Coalition of Northern Groups has raised concerns about plans to allegedly arrest and intimidate northern aspirants for the National Assembly principal offices.
In a statement on Sunday by CNG spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, the group said the elements who were hatching the evil plans were “bent on smearing the good relationship of the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the North”.
Suleiman, in the statement, disclosed that the widely speculated plot involved the introduction of a suspicious voting system to track the NASS voting patterns as well as a plan to block members-elect opposed to the candidacy of Akpabio, from gaining access to the NASS complex on the day of the inauguration.
Meanwhile, Betara an Gagdi, on Sunday night withdrew their candidacy to support the zoning arrangement of the APC.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this at the end of closed-door negotiations between President Bola Tinubu and both lawmakers which held at Tinubu’s Asokoro residence on Sunday evening.
He told journalists that President Tinubu was pleased with the gesture of Aliyu Betara and Yusuf Gadgi to place the interest of the party above their personal ambitions.
Flanked by the Betara and Gagdi, Shettima said “Rt. Hon Betara and Gadgi have graciously accepted to step down and endorse the candidature of Tajudeen Abbas for the speakership of the Federal House of Representatives.
“The President was quite touched by their gesture because what binds us together is superior to whatever that divides us.
We are one big APC family and together, we shall cross the Rubicon on Tuesday. We cannot thank them enough for their sacrifice and we want to commend the roles played by the Chief of Staff to Mr. President, His Excellency the Governor of Niger State, by the leadership of the party here represented by the Deputy National Chairman (North). I think our party members will breathe a sigh of relief.”
Therefore, the Vice President urged other contenders such as the current Deputy Speaker, Ahmed Wase, Sada Soli and Aminu Jaji to emulate the gesture.
“We call on the other candidates such as Rt. Hon. Wase, Hon. Sada Soli and Rt. Hon. Aminu Jaji, to also see reasons to channel their candidacy to Abbas so that as a family, we can create a better future for our dear nation,” he said.
A Catholic priest from Nigeria who was on a pastoral mission to the United States of America has taken his own life after the expiration of his visa and following prevailing new visa policy of the USA.
Reverend Father Benjamin Okwy Madu (Father Ben) as he was fondly called by his parishioners, aged 54, took his own life Thursday evening, July 2, 2026 after he reportedly expressed unwillingness to go back to Nigeria because he had fallen in love with the community of Cape Ann, the city of North Shore including the parishioners.
Boston Archbishop Richard G. Henning sent a message to fellow priests confirming that Father Ben took his own life.
Local law enforcement and the Essex County District Attorney’s Office investigated the scene and noted that no foul play was suspected.
“Sincerely, it is not my wish to return home right now, but circumstances beyond my control have warranted that my time in the United States come to an end,” Father Ben wrote.
“My heart is broken, yet my joy remains. I will miss the home I found away from home… I will deeply miss the seaside, where I often drive to after Mass to call my family and hear about their Sundays.” he was reported to have posted a farewell message on the parish newsletter.
Father Ben, a 54-year-old Nigerian national from the Diocese of Abakaliki, had been serving as a beloved hospital chaplain and parish priest on the North Shore of Massachusetts since 2021.
His R-1 religious worker visa was expiring, and he was ordered to return to Nigeria. Just days before his death.
The Boston Globe reported that he had expressed deep fears about what would happen to him upon returning to Nigeria, where clergy frequently face severe perils, including violence and kidnapping
The outbreak is said to have spread across several ISWAP enclaves, exposing worsening sanitary conditions and the dwindling availability of medical care within the insurgents’ camps.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed the development in a post on X, citing intelligence sources familiar with the situation.
According to the sources, two other ISWAP fighters who contracted the highly infectious disease were allegedly executed by members of the group after efforts to treat them in Kimba village proved unsuccessful.
The incident is believed to reflect the increasingly difficult conditions inside the terrorist camps, where sustained military offensives have disrupted supply routes and severely limited access to medicines, healthcare and other essential resources.
Intelligence sources said the combination of poor hygiene, inadequate medical facilities and mounting operational pressure has left many of the insurgents vulnerable to disease outbreaks.
The sources further disclosed that military commanders have been advised to intensify efforts to intercept medical supplies and pharmaceutical products suspected of being destined for terrorist hideouts. Security officials believe cutting off access to healthcare supplies could further weaken ISWAP’s ability to treat injured or sick fighters and reduce the group’s operational capacity.
While the reports have not been independently verified, the development is seen as another indication of the mounting challenges facing the insurgent group as security forces continue sustained operations across the North-East.
The development was disclosed on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
In a shared post on his verified X handle, Onanuga simply announced that the victims had been released by their abductors.
“Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies,” he wrote.
As of the time of filing this report, details surrounding their release, including whether any ransom was paid or the circumstances leading to their freedom, had yet to be disclosed.
The abductions occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed men attacked three schools; Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School, in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area.
No fewer than 39 pupils and seven teachers, including a principal, were taken during the attacks.
During the attack, a teacher, Joel Adesiyan, was killed while attempting to escape.
Another teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was beheaded in the kidnappers’ den.
The terrorists holding the victims had reportedly made a four-point demand before agreeing to free the captives, including the release of detained terrorist commanders, payment of ransom, two Hilux vehicles and the implementation of Sharia-related law.
The Oyo State Government had consistently maintained that no ransom would be paid to secure the release of any victims.
The incident had triggered weeks of public anguish, with the Nigeria Union of Teachers embarking on a month-long strike in the state to press for the victims’ rescue before suspending the action in July.
It also drew federal intervention, with military and police authorities repeatedly assuring Nigerians that operations to secure the victims’ freedom were ongoing.
Reactions have trailed to trail the disclosure by the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, that Nigerian soldiers now earn a minimum monthly salary of N100,000 following recent welfare reforms by the Federal Government.
Veterans and serving personnel have described the amount as grossly inadequate in the face of Nigeria’s rising cost of living, while some accused the Federal Government of failing to implement a more substantial salary review promised months ago.
The criticism comes amid renewed concerns over troop welfare, military funding, and the effectiveness of efforts to boost morale among personnel battling insecurity across the country.
A retired soldier, Abdul Isiak, argued that the current salary falls far short of what is needed to meet basic living expenses.
“It is not enough at all. What is N100,000 in the current situation of the country? It cannot go far. They should do better. If soldiers are paid more, they will be more motivated and committed to their duties,” he said.
Another retired military officer, Sergeant Zaki Williams, questioned the accuracy of the figure disclosed by the minister and described the amount as inadequate for personnel who risk their lives in service to the nation.
“I doubt if they are even paying up to that amount now. Even if they are, it is too little. Any government paying a soldier N100,000 in today’s economy is not serious enough about the welfare of its troops,” he said.
Williams noted that soldiers face enormous challenges and deserve better remuneration and working conditions.
Also reacting, the Coordinator of the Coalition for Concerned Veterans, Abiodun Herbert-Durowaye, said the salary does not reflect the sacrifices made by military personnel.
“How can that be sufficient for someone putting his life on the line for the country? Consider the cost of food, housing, transportation, and children’s education. N100,000 is far from adequate for those responsible for protecting the nation’s peace and security,” he stated.
The reactions followed comments by the Minister of Defence during an interview with News Central, where he disclosed that the minimum monthly salary of soldiers had increased from N49,000 to N100,000 under the current administration.
According to the minister, the Federal Government has made deliberate efforts to improve troop welfare despite funding challenges facing the military.
“When they started, a soldier was collecting N49,000 monthly. We tried so hard, now he’s collecting N100,000,” he said.
Musa, however, acknowledged that the defence sector remains underfunded and requires greater financial support to effectively address the country’s security challenges.
The minister also advocated stricter penalties for kidnapping, including the possibility of introducing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers, arguing that stronger deterrents are necessary to curb the growing wave of abductions across the country.
The debate over soldiers’ welfare comes at a time when the military continues to confront multiple security threats, with stakeholders insisting that improved remuneration, better equipment, and enhanced welfare packages are critical to boosting morale and operational effectiveness.
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced that travellers in the United States seeking Nigerian visas must now submit their applications directly at Nigerian diplomatic missions following the termination of its contract with a third-party visa processing company.
The new directive, which takes immediate effect, ends the role previously played by Online Integrated Solutions (OIS Services), which had been responsible for receiving and processing Nigerian visa applications through its centres across the United States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, said visa applicants are now required to submit their documents directly at the Embassy of Nigeria in Washington, D.C., or at the Nigerian Consulates in New York and Atlanta until further notice.
The immigration service did not state the reason for ending its partnership with OIS Services.
However, Akinlabi assured applicants that adequate measures have been put in place at the embassy and consulates to ensure a smooth transition. He added that visa submission, processing and approval would continue without disruption.
He also urged prospective travellers to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian diplomatic missions in the United States for updates on visa application procedures.
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