The Jigawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has strongly condemned the suspension of a former governor of the state and one of the party’s founding fathers, Alhaji Sule Lamido by the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT, describing the action as unjust, vindictive and inimical to party unity.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The state chairman of the party, Dr Babandi Ibrahim Gumel, disclosed this in a statement signed and made available to journalists on Saturday.

According to the statement, the Jigawa PDP received news of Lamido’s suspension with “profound shock and disappointment”.

The statement added that the suspension, which was reportedly based on allegations that Lamido attended meetings capable of undermining party unity, amounts to an affront to justice, internal democracy and the reconciliation efforts recently championed by the PDP leadership.

The party stressed that the exercise of legal and constitutional rights within the party should not be interpreted as an act of disunity. It recalled that Lamido approached the court after he was allegedly denied the opportunity to purchase a nomination form to contest the position of National Chairman of the PDP.

The statement further noted that the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, ruled in Lamido’s favour by restraining the PDP from proceeding with its national convention until his right to contest was determined.

The Jigawa PDP argued that the suspension appeared to be a punitive action against Lamido for seeking judicial redress over an issue on which the court had already found merit.

The party also faulted the decision of the BoT for contradicting recent public statements by its chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, who had emphasised reconciliation within the party, admitted past mistakes and appealed to aggrieved members to return fully to the PDP fold.

However, it maintained that suspending a founding member who sought justice through legal means runs contrary to the spirit of reconciliation and healing publicly advocated by the party leadership.

The chairman said the suspension was premature and prejudicial, as the matter remains before the courts. He also described Lamido as one of the few founding fathers of the PDP who has remained loyal to the party without defecting, warning that punishing such loyalty sends a negative signal to other committed members.

The party further argued that the action undermines party unity at a time when the PDP requires cohesion to effectively challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. It also insisted that there is no provision in the PDP constitution that allows for the suspension of a “life member”.

The party called on the BoT to immediately and unconditionally withdraw the suspension of Alhaji Sule Lamido.
It also demanded that the BoT publicly affirm the right of all party members to aspire to leadership positions in line with the party’s constitution and the laws of the country, without fear of victimisation.

It further urged the BoT to retrace its steps, align its actions with its reconciliation agenda, and tender an apology to Lamido.

The Jigawa PDP reaffirmed its commitment to a united, democratic and law-abiding Peoples Democratic Party.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) C-130 crew, earlier detained in Burkina Faso has resumed its mission to Portugal with the same aircraft.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

The 11-member crew was en route to Portugal for scheduled aircraft maintenance when it made an emergency landing in Burkina Faso.

The aircraft landed in Bobo-Dioulasso on December 8, 2025, as a precautionary measure after a technical issue.

Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson of the ministry of foreign affairs, said the aircraft and crew would proceed to Portugal as originally planned.

“They are not coming to Nigeria, but proceeding to Portugal for the servicing of the aircraft. Will leave for Portugal today,” Ebienfa said.

Ebienfa said the release of the crew followed diplomatic interventions by a high-powered Nigerian delegation sent to Burkina Faso by President Bola Tinubu.

The delegation was led by Yusuf Tuggar, minister of foreign affairs. Other members included Mohammed Mohammed, Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, A. Y. Abdullahi, Chief of Policy and Plans at the NAF, Olawale Awe, Nigeria’s permanent representative to ECOWAS, and Wahab Akande, Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Burkina Faso released the NAF aircraft and the 11 personnel on Wednesday.

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, spokesman of NAF, said the aircraft landed at the nearest airfield in line with international aviation safety protocols.

Their release followed a meeting between the Nigerian delegation led by Tuggar and Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s junta leader, in Ouagadougou.

Ex-APC spokesman alerts Tinubu, says abuse of Army ranks may fuel coups in Nigeria....TAP TO CONTINUE READING

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against actions he described as the politicisation of the Nigerian Army, saying abuse of military ranks could endanger democracy and fuel coup tendencies.

Frank raised concerns over reports of an alleged special and accelerated promotion of the president’s Aide-De-Camp to the rank of Brigadier-General barely months after elevation to colonel, describing the development as troubling if proven true.

He said the Nigerian Army is a national institution governed by professional standards and traditions, not a personal guard unit of any president.

His words: “The Nigerian Army is not a personal guard unit of any President. It is a national institution governed by time-tested rules, traditions and professional standards.

“Senior military ranks, especially the rank of General, are earned through years of service, sacrifice, command experience, rigorous training and competitive assessments. They are not political rewards.”

Frank said promotions outside established procedures weaken command authority, erode morale and damage cohesion within the ranks.

He warned that Africa’s recent history shows that the politicisation of military institutions often breeds resentment and indiscipline, conditions that precede unconstitutional disruptions of democratic rule.

“Across West Africa today, we are witnessing the consequences of weakened civil-military relations. From Mali to Burkina Faso and Niger, military juntas emerged in environments where institutions were abused, traditions disregarded and professionalism undermined,” he said.

Frank said it was alien to Nigeria’s democratic practice, and unheard of even during military rule, to manipulate the rank of General for an Aide-De-Camp or personal convenience.

“No former military Head of State and no civilian President in Nigeria treated the rank of General with such recklessness,” he added.

He rejected any justification based on constitutional authority, saying being commander-in-chief demands restraint rather than arbitrariness.

“Being Commander-In-Chief is not a license to erode institutions. Democracy survives on accountability, due process and respect for established norms,” he said.

Frank cautioned that irregular promotions expose officers to professional risk, invite institutional backlash and drag the armed forces into political controversy.

He urged the minister of defence to advise the president on the implications of any decision that undermines military tradition, morale and Nigeria’s international standing.

He also called for immediate public clarification of the legal and professional basis for the reported promotion, suspension or reversal of any action that violates Nigerian Army guidelines, and a firm commitment by the presidency to end personalised promotions.

Frank urged civil society organisations, retired military officers and professional associations to speak out, warning that silence in the face of institutional abuse could have severe consequences for civil-military relations.

He said the Nigerian Armed Forces must remain professional, apolitical and governed by established rules rather than personal discretion.