The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dissolved its Kano State executive committee and constituted a caretaker committee to oversee the affairs of the party pending the conduct of future congresses. The announcement was made on Monday in Kano by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North West), Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad, during a press briefing at the Kano Press Centre.

Addressing journalists, Hajiya Najaatu Muhammad said the newly constituted caretaker committee would be chaired by Alhaji Umar Bala. She explained that the decision was taken by the national leadership of the party in line with its constitutional responsibility to preserve the unity, continuity and constitutional integrity of the ADC in Kano State.

According to her, the dissolution of the state executives and the inauguration of the caretaker committee should not be interpreted as a victory for one faction over another but as a constitutional response to an administrative situation within the party. She stressed that the move was aimed at restoring stability and ensuring the uninterrupted administration of the party in Kano State.

Hajiya Najaatu stated that the national leadership acted in accordance with the provisions of the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act and its responsibility to safeguard the future of the ADC. She maintained that when circumstances create a leadership vacuum within a political party, it becomes the duty of the national leadership to take appropriate constitutional measures to maintain order, discipline and continuity.

She further emphasized that the constitution of the caretaker committee was not a judgment on the loyalty or commitment of party members across Kano State. According to her, thousands of members had sacrificed their time, resources and reputation to build the party at the grassroots and had remained committed even during difficult political periods, adding that their contributions remained appreciated by the national leadership.

Speaking on the mandate of the committee, Hajiya Najaatu said its primary responsibility was to heal divisions within the party rather than deepen them. She noted that the committee was expected to rebuild confidence in the party’s structures, strengthen its institutions, prepare for future congresses and ensure that every genuine member of the ADC had a place within the party.

She urged members of the caretaker committee to lead with fairness, humility, transparency and impartiality, saying their success would be measured not by the number of decisions they make but by their ability to reunite members under one platform. She advised the committee to consult widely, exercise patience and always regard leadership as a trust rather than a privilege.

The ADC Deputy National Chairman also appealed to party members across the 44 local government areas of Kano State to support the transitional arrangement in good faith. She assured members that the doors of the party remained open to everyone and called on stakeholders to embrace reconciliation, dialogue and unity in the overall interest of the party.

Hajiya Najaatu said the political environment ahead would require greater unity and discipline, warning that internal disagreements should not distract the party from presenting itself as a credible alternative to Nigerians. She urged members to channel their energy toward strengthening the party, mobilising supporters, expanding membership and engaging communities instead of focusing on internal divisions.

She expressed confidence that the future of the ADC in Kano State would be stronger if members remained faithful to the party’s constitution and democratic ideals. She called on members to replace division with dialogue, suspicion with trust and personal interests with the collective interest of the party, while praying for God’s guidance for the caretaker committee, Kano State and Nigeria.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has issued a four-day ultimatum to South African businesses in Nigeria to leave the country.

This is contained in a statement on Monday in Enugu, by Bestman Okereafor, NANS national executive director, corporate and private sectors engagement.

Mr Okereafor stated that after the expiration of the ultimatum, South African business interests would face the wrath of the more than 43.1 million Nigerian students across the country.

“The attention of the apex students governing body, NANS, has been drawn to continuous attacks, intimidation and subsequent chase of law-abiding, peaceful and hardworking Nigerians and other Africans from South Africa.

“As the biggest student body in Africa, we are giving South African business interests four days to evacuate our beloved country, Nigeria.

“The reason for this action is simple: South Africans cannot continue to oppress and chase our people from their country and expect their businesses to thrive on our soil,” he said.

He also stated that immediately after the expiration of the ultimatum, the student body would consider picketing South African businesses, while further actions follow.

He called on the federal government and the African Union to take more decisive actions against South Africa for its “inimical” acts towards other Africans.

“It is on record that Nigeria played a major role in support of South Africa during the apartheid struggle and should never be paid with disloyalty, disrespect and global embarrassment,” he added.

It will be recalled that xenophobic attacks by South Africans on other Africans for some months had led to Nigerians being physically assaulted, embarrassed, intimidated, injured and some allegedly gruesomely murdered.

Several businesses and premises owned by Nigerians in South Africa were either completely burnt down or destroyed by rampaging South Africans during the xenophobic attack.

The perpetrators of these crimes had earlier given Nigerians and other Africans an ultimatum of June 30 to leave South Africa.

The federal government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, had in recent weeks airlifted hundreds of Nigerians from South Africa back to Nigeria.

The Arewa Youths Merger Group, APC, has thrown its full support behind the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, and demanded the immediate investigation and prosecution of one Adeyemi Adeyini Matthew for allegedly parading himself as the Director-General of a bogus agency, the *Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, PFIPC.

The group described the scandal as a deliberate political plot to defame the Presidency, embarrass the Federal Government, and undermine President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking after a meeting with the Chief of Staff at the Presidential Villa, the National Coordinator of the Arewa Youths Merger Group said it was the Presidency itself that uncovered the fraud and directed the EFCC and ICPC to investigate those behind it.

According to him, Adeyemi Adeyini Matthew has been moving around the country claiming to be the DG of PFIPC, an agency with no gazette, no law, and no approval from the Federal Government.

“He has been issuing fake appointment letters, fake ID cards, and collecting money from unsuspecting Nigerians under the guise of recruitment, contracts, and foreign intervention projects. He is using the name of the Chief of Staff and the Presidency to give the scam credibility,” he alleged.

The group called on security agencies to arrest Adeyemi Adeyini Matthew and compel him to produce any genuine appointment letter from the President. “Nothing of such exists. PFIPC is a complete fraud,” it stated.

The Arewa Youths Merger Group said the attack on Gbajabiamila is part of a wider plot by some politicians to damage Nigeria’s reputation internationally and weaken the Tinubu administration.

“President Tinubu set up an economic team to block loopholes used in stealing public funds. He is the first President to openly expose how stamp duty funds were diverted and how irregularities at NNPCL were used to put pressure on Nigerians,” the group said.

It referenced ongoing corruption cases including a former Minister of Aviation accused of repainting a leased aircraft and presenting it as new, a former Minister, Suleiman Mamman and the alleged diversion of billions meant for the Mambilla Hydro Power Project, as well as cases involving former Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke and former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.

The group added that fraudsters are now colluding with some elements in the National Assembly and some bad staff within the Presidency. It said the removal of fuel subsidy was President Tinubu’s move to stop the racketeering done in the name of subsidy, which never benefited ordinary Nigerians.

The group linked the campaign against Gbajabiamila to religion and region, noting that most senior staff in the Presidency are Muslims and that Gbajabiamila is married to a Northerner.

“The aim is to tarnish his image, force him out, and break the South-Arewa alliance that produced the APC and brought President Tinubu to power,” it alleged.

The Arewa Youths Merger Group said it stands firmly with Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila and will continue to defend his integrity.

It recalled supporting him during his bid to become Speaker in the 8th Assembly, his emergence as Speaker in the 9th Assembly, and his appointment as Chief of Staff.

Drawing lessons from the Buhari administration, the group said targeting the Chief of Staff, as was done to the late Abba Kyari, only weakens government.

“75% of presidential functions run through the Office of the Chief of Staff. How can the same person responsible for coordinating government be the one to create PFIPC to destroy that same government? If there is a problem, he will be the first to be blamed,” the group queried.

It alleged that some journalists, social media influencers and bloggers are being used to spread false narratives to “break the President’s spinal cord” ahead of 2027.

The group urged the EFCC, ICPC and other security agencies to conclude investigations and prosecute Adeyemi Adeyini Matthew and his accomplices.

It said it remains committed to defending the South-Arewa alliance and ensuring peace, unity and development under the Tinubu administration.