Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, embarked on what he called a post-Sallah visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari at the latter’s residence in Kaduna.

The opposition leader was accompanied on the visit by the immediate-past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai; former governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam; former Governor Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State; former Governor Achike Udenwa of Imo State and former governor of Sokoto State, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, among others.

Atiku, who took to his verified social media handles to disclose the visit, described it as a “wonderful time” with former President Buhari.

He wrote: “As the Waziri Adamawa, I was obligated to be in Adamawa during the Sallah celebrations. I held forth for the Lamido Fombina (Adamawa) in some of the activities of the Sallah celebrations.

“Today, I had the opportunity to pay a post-Sallah visit to His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2015-2023. It was a wonderful time with him. As usual, he cracked me up (to the extent that my ribs were hurting) with his peculiar humour.”

Some netizens, however, viewed the development as another move at political realignment ahead of the 2027 general election.

It would be recalled that former President Buhari had a couple of days ago in a statement signed by his media aide, Garba Shehu, reaffirmed his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, following a visit to his Kaduna home by the Progressive Governors Forum earlier on Tuesday.

Federal government has refuted claims that President Bola Tinubu’s political appointments are lopsided.

Recently, Tinubu has faced criticism for allegedly favouring the South West, his home region, particularly with his appointments.

On Monday, Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno South, said Tinubu’s appointments have not reflected the diversity mandated by Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution.

But in a statement yesterday, the Director of Information in the Office  of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, Segun Imohiosen, asked the public to disregard the “unfounded speculations” on Tinubu’s appointments.

Imohiosen said all appointments are made in “strict” adherence to the federal character principle, as stated in Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution (as altered).

He added that Tinubu “believes strongly in the unity of Nigeria and is guided by the ideals of fairness and tenets of justice in all appointments”.

Imohiosen said the administration is determined to ensure that all regions and demographics are adequately represented in institutions and agencies.

“The OSGF therefore urges the public to disregard unfounded speculations and rely on official government sources for accurate information.

“Government remains steadfast in its pursuit of a prosperous, united and equitable Nigeria, in line with the ‘Renewed Hope’ agenda of this,” the statement said. 

The director described those pushing the narrative of sectionalism as “pokers of embers of hate and disunity” whose claims should not be taken seriously.

“Inquiries with respect to this matter can be channeled through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation which is the official custodian of such appointments,” the statement added.

Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has renewed its demand for the unconditional release of its detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, asserting that many of his past warnings on Nigeria’s security and political trajectory have now come to pass.

In a statement issued recently by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group maintained that Kanu’s long-standing messages about the worsening state of insecurity and the political realignments within the country had proven to be accurate. 

According to IPOB, these developments validate his early calls for national dialogue on Nigeria’s structural future.

Kanu, who was arrested in Kenya and extradited in 2021, has remained in detention for nearly four years over allegations related to his separatist activities. 

IPOB stated that the unfolding rise in violence across regions and growing calls for self-determination are signs that his foresight was not only timely, but justified.

“The recent events in Nigeria reflect what Kanu had long warned about. His concerns about insecurity, national disunity, and the marginalisation of various ethnic groups have continued to unfold,” the statement read.

The group also pointed to his broadcasts dating as far back as 2014, in which he allegedly foresaw the surge in armed group activities and political unrest.

Reaffirming its long-held stance, IPOB stated that the present structure of the Nigerian federation requires urgent renegotiation. It argued that the amalgamation of diverse ethnic groups into one nation without consensus has led to “persistent conflicts and underdevelopment.”

“We believe that lasting solution lies in giving ethnic nationalities the opportunity to decide their own paths. This must be achieved through peaceful means and mutual respect,” the statement added.

Calling for renewed efforts towards national dialogue, IPOB urged the federal government to release Kanu without conditions, describing his continued detention as a miscarriage of justice. 

The group  appealed to political, religious and traditional leaders to back efforts aimed at restructuring the country in line with fairness and inclusiveness.

Chairman of Labour Party Caucus in the House of Representatives, Hon. Afam Ogene, has blamed mass defections of lawmakers to the ruling All Progressives Congress ,APC, on the former Chairman, Julius Abure’s leadership failure.

Ogene said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ,NAN, in Abuja yesterday.

He said that it was Abure’s intransigence that triggered mass defections to the ruling party.

“Politicians always plan for the next elections. So with the style of Abure, they thought there was a future for them again in the party.

“Therefore, they have to leave in a hurry, but some of us who believe so much in the rule of law have to stay and contend with Abure for the good of the party”, he said.

The lawmaker, however, said that the Labour Party caucus was not diminished in spite of the defections.

Ogene, who assured of a stronger and better Labour Party, said that Abure’s tenure officially ended in June 2024.

He accused the former chairman of being selfish in his political pursuit, saying that this was not favourable to the party.

This, he said, led Abure into refusing to cede the chairmanship position to the North, as planned by the stakeholders.

The caucus chairman wondered how fair it would be for the party to field a southern presidential candidate under the watch of a southern national chairman.

He appealed to Nigerians to keep hope alive, assuring of a revived and formidable Labour Party.

The lawmaker affirmed the viability of Labour Party as an opposition political party, saying that Peter Obi had remained the only formidable opposition voice.

Ogene reiterated the resilience of the caucus to continue to bring the ruling party into check for a transparent and accountable democracy.

He assured Nigerians of the party’s commitment to constitutional democracy through constructive opposition.