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  • Makarfi resigns as PDP BoT secretary

    Makarfi resigns as PDP BoT secretary

    Former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi has resigned as Secretary of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party.

    He cited zoning and the emergence of a new National Chairman from the North,  his geo-political zone, as reasons.

    Legal luminary and former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki became National Chairman at the weekend convention held at Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    Makarfi’s resignation, dated November 17, 2025, was addressed to the BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara.

    Makarfi had wanted to quit two months ago, but postponed it, following pleas by the party leadership.

    Wabara had urged him to stay on until the national convention.

    The former governor said his decision was guided by a long-held conviction that both the BoT Secretary and the National Chairman of the party should not originate from the same zone.

    Makarfi said: “The principal reason for my resignation then and now was, and is still, my belief that the national chairman of the party and the secretary should not come from the same geopolitical zone

    “Now that a chairman has emerged from the North West, where I come from, it is necessary to give him full space to do the needful,” he wrote.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Taraba Assembly speaker, 15 others defect to APC from PDP

    He added that the decision was made in the interest of fairness and to avoid any perception of imbalance in the PDP’s leadership structure.

    “Accordingly, I hereby formally resign as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party with effect from today, November 17th, 2025.”

    Makarfi thanked Wabara and other BoT members for what he described as a cordial working relationship throughout his tenure.

    He said: “I truly appreciate the very respectful relationship between us during my period as Secretary.

    ““I also appreciate all Board members for their support and good relationship that prevailed during my period as Secretary.”

  • Olawepo-Hashim visits Makarfi over son’s death

    Olawepo-Hashim visits Makarfi over son’s death

    A former presidential candidate, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, yesterday paid a condolence visit to former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi over the recent death of his first son, Faisal, in a motor accident.

    Olawepo-Hashim noted that the death of a child is a difficult pain to bear, saying he believed that Senator Makarfi, being a man of faith, had accepted it as the will of God.

    The businessman and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who was accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Kamaldeen Adebayo; the Chief Press Secretary, Hassan Mahmood Ibrahim and others, described the death of a son as painful.

    He prayed God to strengthen the bereaved family and to admit Faisal’s soul in Al-Jannh Fir’daous.

    “I am here with my small delegation to pay a condolence visit on our leader. The news of the demise of Faisal was shocking and painful.

    “I know it is a painful and difficult thing to lose one’s child, but I know you are a man of faith and you have accepted it as a test and the will of God. I pray that God in His infinite mercy will give you and the entire family the strength and fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” Olawepo-Hashim said.

    Adebayo led the delegation in prayers for the repose of the deceased’s soul.

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    Makarfi thanked Olawepo-Hashim for the visit, saying: “I honestly thank you so much. You’ve called and condoled with me. You were to come in yesterday but because of the election issue, you postponed till today and you flew all the way, with all the things before you.

    “May God Almighty reward you. I honestly and sincerely thank you and I wish you journey mercy back home,” Makarfi said.

    On Makarfi’s prompting, a famous Kaduna Islamic scholar, Sheikh Haliru Maraya, prayed for Olawepo-Hashim and his entourage and for the late Faisal.

    Other personalities at the occasion were former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru Kudan; Kaduna-based businessman, Abdullahi Gayaco, and Dr. Ibrahim Umar.

  • Chief Anenih was a mentor – Makarfi

    Former Kaduna State Governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi has described late Chief Tony Anenih as a mentor and a democrat per excellence who spent his life for the good of all.

    Senator Makarfi in a condolence message said Chief Anenih died at a period the country needed his service most.

    Makarfi said in a statement that  he “was saddened by the news of the passing away of a Nationalist, Statesman, Democrat, Father and Leader, Chief Tony Anenih CFR,who returned to the Lord on October 28,2018.”

    He Said “At a time our Country needs statesmen like him God took him away from us. I am consoled with the knowledge that God knows better and doesn’t make mistake.

    “The Leader, late Chief Tony Anenih excelled in all his callings. He contributed enormously to the development of democratic governance in Nigeria.

    “Personally I have lost a mentor and father who stood by me at all times.

    “My condolences go to his immediate family, the Government and people of Edo State, the PDP family and his larger political associates and indeed Nigerians in general.

    May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen “

  • Tambuwal, Makarfi pledge support for Atiku

    Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi have pledged their full support for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
    Tambuwal and Makarfi were two of the aspirants that contested and lost the PDP presidential ticket to Atiku at the party’s recent presidential primaries in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    The two politicians gave the commitment yesterday when the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson led two other PDP governors to the Abuja homes of Tambuwal and Makarfi for consultations.

    Speaking with newsmen shortly after a closed door meeting with the Dickson team, Tambuwal stressed the need for PDP to remain a strong united party, adding that the emphasis should be on the country and not personal ambition.

    Tambuwal who observed that the country was being run by proxy said that Nigeria needed a president who would deliver effective governance.

    The Sokoto Governor added that he was resolute in his decision to give his total support to Atiku in pursuit of victory for the PDP in the 2019 general elections.

    On his part, Makarfi said although the 12 aspirants went into the primary election as contestants, the emergence of one of them was a collective victory for party.

    Makarfi said he had a long standing political relationship with Atiku spanning many years and it that it was too late in the day for him to jettison that relationship over presidential primaries.

    Read Also: 2019: Tambuwal congratulates Atiku

    He predicted a resounding victory for the PDP in the 2019 elections both at the federal and state elections.

    Governor Dickson together with Governors Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta) and Darius Ishaku (Taraba) hailed Tambuwal and Makarfi for their understanding and spirit of sportsmanship.

    Dickson, who led the team, described Tambuwal and Makarfi as frontline politicians qualified enough to fly the party’s presidential flag.

    Dickson, on behalf of other PDP Governors, commended the two former aspirants for displaying maturity before, during and after the presidential primaries.

    The Bayelsa governor said the visit to the two politicians was part of the decision of the PDP to visit and interact with other presidential aspirants that lost the primaries, with a view to encouraging them as leaders of the party in their own rights.

    Dickson who heads the Standing Committee on Reconciliation of the PDP, said that the party had commenced series of consultative talks with other categories of aspirants and leaders of the party in the bid to present a united front.

    He stressed that the meeting with two former aspirants was borne out of the need to strengthen the PDP, to provide the requisite support for the candidate of the party for electoral victory.

    Dickson said, “I am leading a team of the committee of governors to interact and compare notes with our brothers, Governor Aminu Tambuwal and Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

    “They ran a great race and we are all proud of what they did and what they continue to do. We appreciate their statesmanship, we appreciate the way and manner they have been of help in consolidating the gains the party is making.

    “This afternoon, as part of our decision to go round, visit, encourage and interact with all our party leaders, especially all those who indicated interest in the last presidential elections, we have held fruitful meetings.

    “This is just the beginning of several interactions formally and informally that we are going to have with them and with several other leaders of our party.

    “As you all know, they are very key players in the unfolding political scenario and we are all committed to reclaiming our country and building a new Nigeria”.

    Dickson stressed the need for leaders of the PDP to close ranks and to hold regular talks as opposition politicians to reposition the PDP for electoral victory.

    The Bayelsa Governor noted that as the nation moved towards the next election, the Indepedent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies had a responsibility to ensure the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in the country.

    He urged INEC and the security agencies to be fair, adhere strictly to the rule of law, and to respect the rights of individuals in the next elections.

  • Makarfi blames collusion for killings in Nigeria

    A former caretaker committee chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi has blamed the incessant killings and banditry in the country on criminal collusion by some persons and government agencies.

    Markarfi, who stated this in Abuja on Thursday when he came to return his presidential nomination documents, added that as long as the collusion continued, it would be difficult to stop the killings.

    The former Kaduna State governor is one of the 13 aspirants jostling for the presidential ticket of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    The aspirant said if elected, he would establish a viable education trust fund, strengthen the private sector, unbundle the power chain, restructure the country and ensure that the country enjoyed peace and security once again.

    Makarfi said, “Nigeria need to be secure, there is too much bloodletting in this country today. We must restore sanity and stop these killings.

    “It is not possible for these killings to be going on, without one collusion or the other. The collusion can be from anybody, but there is no way these things are going on that there is not one collusion or the other.

    Read Also: I am confident of picking PDP’s ticket – Makarfi

    “If I happen to be nominated and elected, I have the history of having restored peace in Kaduna. It will also be replicated in the length and breadth of Nigeria. This is not theory, but practical because I have done it before”.

    Bemoaning the high number of out-of-school children in the country, the politician said if given the chance, he would implement economic and welfarist policies.

    He said, “I have spoken on the policy that our children must never quit school because of financial difficulties. So we must introduce students soft loan, where students facing financial difficulties can borrow and they will only pay back when they are permanently gainfully employed.

    “This will force the government to create job opportunities for our teeming youths so they can get the money refunded.

    “I have also spoken on power generation. We are running a unitary system, where whatever is generated is domiciled in one place and then redistributed. When you are generating you lose power, when you are distributing you lose power, anything that happens at any point the whole country goes into darkness, this must stop.

    “We will explore God given natural resources to satisfy any area of Nigeria with uninterrupted power supply. We must do so and we will do so under my leadership, so that within a short period of time the entire Nigeria can have power 24 hours.

    “Employment opportunities for our teeming youth must be created if we are to keep this country secure. The way we give stipends to our youths is not the way. We need to create good job opportunities that can retrain the middle class and redistribute wealth, not by giving stipends.

    “We need to also promote the private sector because there are too many regulations that do not go well with Small and Medium enterprises and large scale businesses.

    “We shall streamline regulations so that businesses can thrive and expand. And when they thrive and expand, they will be able to employ more. And when they employed more the country will be at peace. They will also make more profit and it means more taxes for the country. So it is a win win situation”.

    Similarly, Senator Abdul Ningi was also at the PDP secretariat to return his nomination form for the governorship contest in Bauchi State.

    Having been a member of the two chambers of the federal legislature for 16 years at different times, Ningi said he had garnered the required experience for govern Bauchi State.

    Said h, “I have not seen any government in the past that has acquired more experience than myself.

    “Bauchi has become like a cursed state in the last three years and if things continue to be the way they are in the next couple of years, I don’t know how we are going to describe Bauchi.

    “I see this as my obligation and my resolve to ensure that Bauchi story changes. I want to add value to the state and make sure it becomes one of the front line states in terms of development.

    “The story is that of unemployment, youth restiveness inability to provide basic education needs, among other challenges. Look at the Nigerian template in WAEC and JAMB and you will see that we are all below average. That is not a good story to tell”.

    Also on hand to submit his nomination form was Alhaji Ibrahim Ajia who is vying for the party’s ticket for the governorship election in Kwara State.

    A former senator, Patricia Akwashiki also came to return her nomination documents for the Nasarawa State governorship election.

  • Only restructuring will cure Nigeria of its woes – Makarfi

    Former National Caretaker Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, on Saturday identified restructuring as what will bring enduring solutions to the myriads of challenges facing the country.

    Makarfi said the agitation for restructuring has assumed a recurring issue, and pledged to restructure the country to make it better and ensure rapid development if elected President in 2019.

    The former Governor of Kaduna State who made this known in Abeokuta while addressing executives of the Ogun State chapter of the PDP and supporters on his 2019 Presidential ambition, said he will restructure Nigeria along three planks – political, economic and social.

    He noted that restructuring is not about politics alone, but also  social and economic restructuring to  make the nation’s public institutions – Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC), Police, power sector,  efficient, responsible and accountable to the people.

    According to him, this will eliminate or reduce ethnic bickering and suspicions in Nigeria.

    Makarfi recalled that the restructuring of Kaduna state was a major factor that ensured the success of his administration as the then governor and engendered peace for all the residents.

    “Restructuring is one of the key issues facing Nigeria now. And as a president, if nominated and elected, it’s one of the major issues that we have to face and address to make Nigeria work for everybody.

    Read Also: I’ll restructure Nigeria – Makarfi

    “Am I talking politics? No! It’s not because I’m looking for something that’s why I’m talking restructuring. Our leader, President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2003, when he was thinking of the political reforms conference, he set up a technical committee to draw up the modalities and terms of reference of that conference.

    “It was I that was asked to chair that. And that conference was conducted on the basis of the report I submitted. But was the term of reference comprehensive? No! But it was also not the full terms of reference we submitted to government. The full terms of reference we submitted were comprehensive enough to cover all the issues that are topical now,” Makarfi said.

    On economy, Makarfi said the private sector would be encouraged to thrive and provide jobs for the teeming unemployed Nigerian youths.

    According to him, his administration would evolve  special incentives for special businesses in the private sector to enable them provide jobs for the people of Nigeria.

    In his remarks, House of Representatives member, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, lauded  Makarfi’s efforts “towards restoring orderliness” in the PDP, charged the presidential aspirant to work towards giving the citizens “a united Nigeria”

    Adebutu, who is also a governorship aspirant in Ogun state on the platform of PDP, also hailed  Makarfi for ensuring that PDP did not go into extinction during the crisis periods which the party went through.

  • Eld-el -Kabir: Makarfi Urges Muslim Ummah to Show Love

    Former Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi has urged the Muslim Ummah in the country to rededicate themselves to the service of humanity and show love towards fellow citizens as they celebrate the Eid-el-Kabir festival.

    According to Makarfi, the best way for the Muslim Ummah to show appreciation to Almighty Allah is to live in peace and harmony with fellow citizens at all time and continue to pray for the growth and development of the country.

    In a statement signed by his media aide, Murktar Sirajo, Senator Makarfi said the period of the celebration should also be used for sober reflection in the interest of all.

    The statement reads: “Fellow compatriots,God in His infinite mercies and immeasurable powers has again afforded us the opportunity to celebrate yet another Eid-el-Kabir.   As we celebrate this auspicious occasion, I would like to urge us to exhibit the spirit of love, obedience to God and sacrifice which are some of its hallmarks and historical significance.

    “The period should also be, for not only celebrations and merry making, but also for sober reflection and desire, indeed, efforts to get closer to God Almighty in our actions and utterances by exhibiting the quintessential values of love, peace and good neighbourliness, all of which are encapsulated in the fear of God.  We should also use the occasion to rededicate ourselves to His service by striving to continue to serve humanity irrespective of tribe, creed or political leanings.

    Read Also: Makarfi: Stop victimisation in Benue

    “God in His infinite wisdom and mercy has created us the way He has, with all our diversities, and has decreed that we exist in this highly endowed nation as each other’s keeper.  The best way to express our gratitude to Him is to continue to live in peace and keep on harnessing our diversity in order to explore and exploit the numerous opportunities He has endowed our nation with, in so many positive ways.

    “And as our country grapples with various challenges of development, this is also an apt period for all of us to pray earnestly to God to continue to bless Nigeria as well as guide and guard it.

    “The problems of banditry kidnap farmers and herdsmen problems and all other elements of criminality and breach of peace and security should also form part of our prayers to God solve,

    “I also wish to congratulate our pilgrims for the God-given opportunity to perform this year’s Hajj and also urge them to, as part of their rituals, pray for the continued peace, security, development and prosperity of our dear country. I also wish them a successful as well as fruitful Hajj, and a safe return home.”

  • Makarfi urges Buhari to call troublemakers to order

    Former Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Ahmed Makarfi, on Monday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call to order politicians who are creating crisis in Rivers state, saying they should not be allowed to truncate the nation’s hard-earned democracy.

    He also said the President should not allow such politicians to use their connection at the federal level to continue to intimidate blackmail and harass the Governor of Rivers State Mr Nyesom Wike.

    In a statement signed by his media aide, Murktar Sirajo, Senator Makarfi deplored the abortion of the by election in Rivers state, saying it was yet another evidence of impunity and disregard for the laws of the country.

    Senator Makarfi who was a former governor of Kaduna state, also said going by the recent political developments in the country, it has become imperative to restructure the nation’s political system.

    The statement reads: “The abortion of the by election for the Port Harcourt 3 seat of the Rivers State House of Assembly is yet another unfortunate evidence of the impunity and brazen disregard and violation of the laws of the country by elements of the current ruling party, unfortunately, with no consequence.

    “It disturbs Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi to no end that an election into a single constituency for which INEC had made adequate preparations and for which voters were ready, could fail to hold simply because some men of the moment, using their influence, deployed thugs to violently disrupt the exercise, knowing that their party was going to lose. Sadder still is the fact that these thugs operated openly, given cover by armed security agents who were supposed to protect the people.

    “Senator Ahmed Makarfi believes that this type of state sanctioned criminality can lead this country in only one direction: an irredeemable damage to or even truncation of the democracy that Nigeria paid enormous price to bring about.

    “The unfortunate event of last Saturday was a part vindication of the complaint of Senator Makarfi recently in Port Harcourt to the effect that the Rivers State government, and particularly Governor Nyesom Wike were continuously and consistently being targeted for intimidation and blackmail by the central government, using agencies of state that are paid and supposed to protect the people.

    Read Also: I’ll restructure Nigeria – Makarfi

    “More intriguing is the fact that the chief orchestrator and perpetrator of this dance of shame is very well known, and in fact makes no attempt to hide; yet nothing is done by those in authority to call them to order. Senator Makarfi believes that Nigeria is no banana republic and should therefore not allow a situation in which some people are beyond reproach.

    “He thus believes that President Muhammadu Buhari owes this country a duty to, not only call masterminds of this shameful act to order but also ensure that they are subjected to the full rigors of the law to answer for their crimes.

    “Senator Makarfi identifies and commiserates with the government and people of Rivers State over this wanton assault and primitive abuse of privilege and urges Governor Wike to remain resolute and focused on delivering democracy dividends to the people, in the face of this unnecessary distraction.

    “The Senator equally reiterates, once again, his call for the restructuring of our public institutions, especially security agencies to make them answerable to the state rather than the whims and caprices of the controllers of the political levers”

  • How PDP will win in 2019 – Makarfi

    A presidential aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has warned the People’s Democratic Party against picking a candidate that has money against a trustworthy candidate that has credibility.

    Senator Makarfi urged delegates of the PDP to vote wisely at the forthcoming party primaries if they want to garner votes in the presidential election.

    Makarfi who spoke in Bénin City while addressing Edo PDP delegates said certain criteria should be used to eliminate some aspirants from the race.

    The former Kaduna State Governor disclosed that he is traveling round the country on road in the course of his campaigns to have a mental state of road and infrastructural situation across the country.

    This, he stated, was to enable him not to waste time in addressing the problems when he is elected President of the country.

    Senator Makarfi cautioned that the role he played to stabilise the PDP should not give him automatic presidential ticket.

    He said he did not defect from the PDP in 2015 even when he knew he would lost the election.

    Read Also: We must restructure Nigeria – Makarfi

    According to him, “That I did service to the party should not give me any automatics right. Every other member of the party should have equal right to come and seek for this ticket and go around and communicate with you.

    “That is why I do not take my campaigns by air. I go by road to take mental note of roads condition across the country. That made me not to waste time as Governor to address the infrastructural needs of Kaduna State. That is why I am loved by the people of Kaduna.

    “I am also taking mental note as I canvass for support of party men and women to nominate me as the party’s candidate.

    “I knew I was going to lose election in 2015. My former chairman told me to leave the PDP but I said no. I told those that want to leave to go but that they will come back. I decided to contest and loose. I didn’t think about myself but about those that looked up to us as leaders. We need to be there for the party and do whatever we need to do for the party because someday you win, someday you loose.

    “I stayed with the party I will continue to stay with you. All of us are qualified, and when you have so many people qualified, you have to use criteria for elimination. When use those criteria, you end up using location which is my own.

    “People say Markafi does not have money then go and sell yourselves. Whatever comes to you don’t cry.  I have not seen leaders that get responsibility because of the money he or she has. If you want to go out for money, go out for money. If you want to be a good leader choose public service.

    “No past Leader of Nigeria became president because of the money he or she has. The issue is credibility and goodwill. I am not lacking in either credibility or goodwill. I know what I have until the décision is made. It is a choice the party will not regret taking.

    “If you put a credible trustworthy individual, votes will come from all nooks and crannies but if you do otherwise people will pull away and no one individual can stand alone. Let us vote wisely.”

  • Makarfi: Stop victimisation in Benue

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant and former governor of Kaduna State Senator Ahmed Makarfi has objected to what he described as the victimisation of defectors to the party in Benue State.

    He said those victimising Governor Samuel Ortom and his supporters are trying to truncate democracy, adding that the governor’s defection was in accordance with freedom of association  guaranteed by the constitution.

    Makarfi said in a statement by his media aide, Mukhtar Sirajo, that two-third of the 30-member House of Assembly was denied access into the chamber while seven lawmakers were given police protection to plot the impeachment of the governor.

    He said: “It is an unlawful, disgraceful and undemocratic act, which portends a danger of monumental proportions to the country and its institutions. The freedom of association is the inalienable right of every Nigerian as enshrined in the nation’s constitution and all international conventions. The  impeachment of a state governor is a legal and constitutional function, the process of which is clearly spelt out in our constitution, with no ambiguity.

    “It therefore, smacks of hypocrisy and a brazen disrespect for fundamental human rights for the same party to now deny people the right defect from it for whatever reason(s). It is imperative that  people’s rights and freedoms of movement and association and all other rights should be respected fully by the state and its agencies; and that both the APC and its government brace up for more people exercising these fundamental rights and respect same”

    Makarfi urged the people of Benue State to, even as they resist this callous assault on their freedom, remain peaceful and law abiding and be assured that Nigerians are with them in this trying moment.

    He enjoined  Nigerians to, within lawful means, stand up to attempt to stifle the democratic space by a party that was the biggest beneficiary of defections, which is now jittery and clearly uncomfortable at the prospect of getting a dose of its own medicine.