News
THE BATTLE TODAY, THE WAR TOMORROW AND THE SOUL OF SOUTHERN BORNO
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By: Inuwa Bwala
That politics has become the most lucrative endeavor in Nigeria is no longer debatable. This perhaps explains why more people seem to be getting interested in seeking to occupy political offices, either as elected or appointed.
To this effect, we now have the serious and the un serious: the tested and the untested, just as we have the good and the bad, in the various races.
In the quests to control the political space in their enclaves, ahead of the 2023 elections, gladiators seem to be fighting the battle from all fronts: some, according to the rules, others in negation of the rules. Some violent and dirty, and yet others criminally.
In whichever ways it is being fought, 2023 is perhaps Nigeria’s litmus test to survive as a country and thrive as a democracy, or drift into oblivion and thwart democratic governance.
For us in Borno State, the performance of the incumbent, professor Babagana Umara Zulum, may have unsettled every prospective seeker of the office of Governor. Apparently realizing this, the entirety of Southern Borno, which has never produced a Governor and where the clamor for power shift has hitherto been loudest, seem to have resigned their fate to the reality that, it will be a task in futility to try pushing Zulum out through the ballot.
This truism has made the battle to now shift to the Senate of the zone. Even this one promise to be tough, intriguing and interesting. In the face of seemingly weak opposition from other parties, the battle in the governing All Progressives Congress, APC,the struggles to fly the flag at the primaries promise to more fierce than the general election. This is enough indicator that Borno south is going to be the melting pot.
One interesting thing about the contest this time around, is the fact that,the seeming standing principle or unwritten agreement in the South, which saw to the emergence of all senators from the zone since 1999 from Gwoza, while Biu Emirate along with Shani, comprising of five Local Government Areas produced the Deputy Governors all the while, as no longer binding.
Be that as it may, suffice it to say that, the space has been widened and the aspirants are ready to test their credentials against each other. To this effect, the APC parades the incumbent, Mohammed Ali Ndume, from Gwoza, Mohammed Lawan Buba(Bamanga), also from Gwoza, Mohammed Tumala, Gwoza, Musa Bala, from Chibok, Tarpaya Asaraya from Askira/Uba and Idrissa Mamman Durkwa, from Hawul Local Governments.
In the PDP; even in the face of seeming bleak chances; the race is going to be between A Senator Abubakar Mahdi, a onetime Senator from Gwoza and Kudla Satumai from Askira/Uba. Satumari was the candidate of the party in the last elections. No other party has thrown up any candidate yet, and none of those, so far mentioned has made any public declaration, to that effect.
But their posters are everywhere in the zone and their body languages leave no one in doubt, that, the battle line is already drawn.
Against the background that individual qualities and perhaps pedigrees may the major determining factors of success in the race, even as money is a very critical factor. None of the prospective aspirants in both parties is a pushover. Demonstratively, each one of them commands a very wide financial war chest, none of which can be easily estimated. If money is going to play the roles it has always played in the past, it will be safer to surmise that, the battle in the primary elections will be to close to call in the ruling APC.
As it is, the Primaries are the real battle, while the main election is a mere squabble, which outcome can be easily predicted. Whoever gets the ticket of the APC, is as good as being there, given the fact that, the party is too deeply entrenched to be uprooted by any opposition.
But with the emerging new trends in the system, which may lead to alignments and realignment of forces, one may not dismiss the opposition though, but as it stands, the APC is the party to beat in the southern Borno contest.
One does not need a soothsayer, to know that, the current occupant of the seat, Mohammed Ali Ndume, wants to come back to the senate for the third consecutive time. By the roadsides and at most strategic positions across the nine local Government Areas that make up the southern Borno senatorial zone, one could see the pictures of the Senator. Where there are no pictures, one could read in bold black writings, “NDUME AGAIN INSHA ALLAH”, meaning he wants to do it again.
The very first hurdle for any aspirant that hopes to unseat Ndume is therefore the issue of incumbency. Each of the aspirants have their high and low selling points. The next piece will focus on the possible chances of each aspirant, visa aviz the factors that will determine the outcome of the elections. Already we have given each aspirant the chance to market themselves by sending to us a resume of their self-assessments. The days ahead will determine how it goes.
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Member representing Ekiti/Isin/Irepodun/Oke-Ero Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Raheem Tunji Olawuyi Ajuloopin, has strongly condemned the recent attack in Idofin Odo-Ashe, Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, describing it as a cowardly act that seeks to disrupt the peace and stability of the community.
Hon. Ajuloopin, in a statement personally signed by him, expressed deep concern over the unfortunate incident and sympathised with the victims, their families, and the entire community affected by the dastardly attack, emphasising that acts of violence have no place in a civilised society, and therefore urged security agencies to intensify efforts in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
While commending the swift response of both the federal and Kwara State governments, as well as the security agencies and local vigilante groups, the lawmaker reiterated that the fight against insecurity requires collective responsibility, calling on traditional rulers, community leaders, and residents to remain vigilant and cooperate fully with security operatives by providing timely and credible information.
“Security is everyone’s business. We cannot afford to leave the safety of our communities solely to government agencies. Every citizen must be actively involved in safeguarding our environment and ensuring that peace prevails,” Hon. Ajuloopin admonished.
He reaffirmed his commitment to continued collaboration with relevant authorities to ensure that lasting peace in all parts of Kwara South and beyond.
Hon. Ajuloopin also appealed for calm, assuring that both the federal and state governments are working tirelessly to address the root causes of insecurity and prevent future occurrences.
End
From Hassan Taiye
Governor Umar Namadi is currently in Cairo,Arab Republic of Egypt, attending the Third High-Level Ministerial Meeting on Rice Self-Sufficiency, holding from October 7th to 9th, 2025, in Cairo and Sakha.
The meeting, themed “Towards Rice-Based Agri-Food Systems Transformation and Delivering on Rice Self-Sufficiency through Peer-to-Peer Learning: The Case of the Arab Republic of Egypt,” is jointly organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, AfricaRice, the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), and other key continental partners.
This high-level gathering brings together African Ministers of Agriculture, State Governors, and agricultural leaders to share practical experiences on achieving rice self-sufficiency and agricultural transformation.
The event will showcase Egypt’s remarkable progress in achieving rice self-sufficiency despite its limited water and land resources, offering valuable lessons adaptable to other African contexts.
Namadi is participating alongside top policymakers, agricultural experts, and private sector players from across Africa to discuss innovations, policy reforms, and strategic investments aimed at strengthening food security and transforming the agricultural sector on the continent.
Over the three-day programme, delegates will engage in high-level ministerial sessions, technical discussions, and a field visit to Egypt’s renowned Rice Research and Training Centre (RRTC) in Sakha.
During the visit, participants will interact directly with Egyptian scientists and farmers to learn about the country’s advancements in high-yield rice varieties, efficient irrigation systems, and modern post-harvest technologies.
Jigawa State’s participation in this important forum underscores the state’s commitment to agricultural transformation, food self-sufficiency, and consolidating Jigawa’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading hubs for rice production and agribusiness development.
The meeting is expected to conclude with a Ministerial Declaration setting a continental roadmap for achieving rice self-sufficiency through collaborative research, policy coordination, and targeted investment across the rice value chain.
Governor Namadi is accompanied by senior officials from the Jigawa State Ministry of Agriculture and related agencies.
By: Fabian Apechihin
Sociopolitical activist Aisha Yesufu has accused Nigerian political leaders of perpetuating what she described as a “political genocide” against Christians in Northern Nigeria.
Yesufu made the remark on Tuesday in response to American comedian and TV host Bill Maher, who recently alleged that Nigerian Christians are facing coordinated attacks.
Maher, speaking on his HBO show, said, “I’m not a Christian, but they are systematically killing Christians in Nigeria. They’ve killed over 100,000 since 2009 and burned 18,000 churches. These are the Islamists, Boko Haram.”
Reacting via her X handle, Yesufu criticized what she called hypocrisy among Nigerian politicians who express concern over Christian persecution yet supported the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket during the 2023 elections.
“You are shouting that Northern Christians are being persecuted, but you championed a Muslim-Muslim ticket! Their Christianity was not Christian enough for you during the 2023 election,” she wrote.
She concluded by calling for greater attention to what she termed the “political genocide” against Northern Christians, urging consistency in both words and actions when addressing religious and political marginalization in Nigeria.
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