General
Buhari Wades into APC Crisis, Calls for Calm
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to refrain from attacking each other, urging them to see themselves as one.
In a message personally signed by him on Saturday, March 12, 2022, Mr Buhari said members of the party must learn from the mistakes of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said all hands must be on deck for the success of the March 26 national convention of the party and then the 2023 general elections.
According to him, “We must never allow ourselves to be distracted. We exist to serve the people of Nigeria and to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to them. That is all that ultimately matters.”
President Buhari further stressed that there must be no distractions and infighting “ahead of the convention to choose new leaders” as “we all expect a robust debate on the issues that matter and what is going on in the APC should be a reflection of this.”
Mr Buhari is wading into the APC crisis following the rumoured removal of the Chairman of the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee of the party and Governor of Yobe State, Mr Mai Mala Buni.
Below is the full message of Mr Buhari to APC members.
I am asking the leaders and the entire membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to desist from name-calling and backstabbing, ahead of the March 26 Convention.
We must look at the once-powerful, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which is now enfeebled and adrift, and learn lessons from their disunity, mismanagement and corruption. They failed in 16 years in power and remain a failure as opposition.
Yes, we are entitled to our own share of dissent and intra-party discord. These are common in all parties, left and right all over the world. But parties splintered by competing egos destine themselves to the worst possible fate.
As the country prepares for the long run-up to the 2023 presidential election, we all expect a robust debate on the issues that matter and what is going on in the APC should be a reflection of this, not the infighting we are seeing. There must be no more distractions ahead of the convention to choose new leaders.
The APC started out with a confidence of victory and today enjoys that confidence in nearly two-thirds of our 36 states.
Yet this is a party that has been in existence barely for eight years, becoming the dominant party because we have thrown open our doors to defectors from other parties, big and small.
What has also made our success possible is that we didn’t start on the note of arrogance of power, nor do we see government as a vehicle for self-aggrandizement, to be held at all costs.
Instead, we see it as a vehicle to bring development to all without discrimination —political, ethnic or regional — to our dear country.
We are proud of the fact that in its short period of existence, the APC has won two general elections decisively, and despite losing a few states in 2019, we have steadfastly expanded its pan-Nigerian outlook with significant defections of the opposition Governors and parliamentarians into our fold.
Given all that is at a stake, we can expect contests into offices as we are now faced with to be heated, although candidates and their promoters for party offices are not so much debating policy differences but differences of management, personality, character, and suitability for the most important leadership roles in our country and therefore the continent.
We must never allow ourselves to be distracted. We exist to serve the people of Nigeria and to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to them. That is all that ultimately matters.
And we must all remain steadfast and maintain unity if our great Party is to continue in the path of victory and its dominance at all levels throughout the country.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Media and External Relations Lead of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr Abiodun Coker, has been crowned the Future Leader in Media Management.
He clinched this award at The Industry Summit/Awards held on Friday, May 2, 2025, in Lagos, with several persons from across all sectors in attendance.
Mr Coker’s recognition further cements his growing reputation as one of Nigeria’s most dynamic and future-ready communications leaders, with his eyes firmly set on redefining the media management landscape.
The award jury, chaired by Mr Tolulope Ogunjobi, a renowned broadcast business correspondent and Business Editor at TVC News, said Mr Coker was bestowed with the honour because of his exceptional achievements in the public relations field during the year 2024.
The team said one of them was his masterful handling of UBA’s 2024 rights issue, which successfully closed on December 24, 2024, and the impactful execution of the bank’s 75th Anniversary Campaign, both of which were described as commendable and exceptional.
According to the jury, his management of UBA’s media ecosystem during the year under review was remarkable, with several media professionals praising his public relations craftsmanship and ability to skilfully manage the image of one of Africa’s most formidable financial brands.
“Abiodun Coker’s achievements in 2024 are a beacon for greater accomplishments ahead. He is undoubtedly one of the strategic communication experts to watch in 2025,” the jury noted.
A seasoned professional, Mr Coker’s journey from an acclaimed financial journalist at BusinessDay Newspapers to a powerhouse in corporate communications has been nothing short of inspiring.
With over eight years of robust journalism experience, coupled with leadership roles at top-tier public relations firms such as BD Consult Ltd and Quadrant, he has consistently demonstrated his ability to transform and manage leading brands successfully.
Organized by The Industry Newspaper, the leading brand marketing publication in West Africa, the prestigious awards recognize outstanding professionals shaping the future of brand marketing and communications across the region.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, has reiterated the federal government’s commitment to fostering a more enabling investment climate, anchored on macroeconomic stability, structural reform, and a clear pathway to inclusive prosperity.
He gave this assurance at a high-level private dinner, organized by Kuramo Capital Management Lagos as part of Africa Venture Capital Week.
The Minister lauded Kuramo Capital and its partners for their steadfast belief in Africa’s promise and highlighted the alignment between private capital and Nigeria’s renewed hope reform agenda.
According to a statement, participants recognized the vital role of blended finance and innovation in driving sustainable development.
The event brought together a distinguished group of global investors, development partners, and business leaders for a candid exchange on unlocking long-term capital for Africa’s growth and transformation.
It also marks Kuramo Capital’s first formal convening in Nigeria in several years, underscoring a renewed sense of commitment to deepening its strategic footprint across the continent.
Mr Edun said with this renewed commitment, the federal government is poised to unlock new opportunities for economic growth, investment, and inclusive prosperity.
He also called for more investment into the country, assuring participants that the right mechanisms are being put in place towards driving Nigeria’s development and improving the lives of its citizens.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government is fast-tracking the implementation phase of its economic and financial inclusion strategy aimed at improving access to economic opportunities for Nigerians.
This was disclosed by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Ibrahim Hadejia, at the inaugural meeting of the Technical Committee of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI).
He said that “Financial inclusion is not just about having a bank account—it means access to quality services, credit, and the visibility that digital platforms offer.”
The meeting was held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.
The federal government established an inter-agency task force to address challenges delaying President Bola Tinubu’s approved conditional cash transfers to 15 million vulnerable households.
The task force includes the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office, National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS).
The mandate of the taskforce goal is to unlock bottlenecks and fast-track the distribution of critical financial support to Nigeria’s most vulnerable.
The meeting also endorsed steps to work with state governments in localising data from the Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access in Nigeria (EFInA) Access to Financial Services survey – a biennial study conducted by the EFInA.
Mr Hadejia explained that the meeting brought together high-level stakeholders from government agencies, financial institutions, and academia to align on the President’s vision and execution roadmap.
“We are off to a very good start. What has led to the success of what we’ve done so far is alignment and inclusive stakeholder engagement,” he said.
On hsi part, the committee’s Secretary, Mr Nurudeen Zauro, said the meeting also approved PreCEFI’s strategic roadmap and governance structure.
Mr Zauro, who is also the Technical Advisor to the President on Financial Inclusion, said ” an inter-agency committee has been established to address delays in the disbursement of conditional cash transfers to 15 million households as mandated by President Tinubu.
“We will be presenting the report to the National Economic Council and the Nigerian Governors Forum to ensure data is domesticated and acted upon at the subnational level.”
Also, Director-General of NIMC, Mrs Abisoye Coker-Odusote, explained that digital identity plays a foundational role in achieving inclusion goals.
“The beauty of the NIN is that it bridges the financial divide. It provides access to health, education, and agricultural services and strengthens national data infrastructure,” she said.
The Director of Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion at the CBN, Mrs Aisha Isa-Olatinwo, urged the committee to focus on implementable outcomes that serve those at the base of the pyramid.
According to her, financial inclusion is one of the eight reform pillars of the President’s agenda.
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