₦airaland Forum

TonyeBarcanista:
Tamunotonye S S Inioribo
Founder & National Chairman
Citizens Democratic Alliance
27 August 2026

Chairman of Geregu Power Plc, Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, has personally provided the funds required to settle the company’s outstanding bond obligation.

The payment follows concerns raised by bondholders and investors after the recent default.

Yari has, however, made it clear that paying the obligation does not mean the debt was personally his or that the current Board and management created the problem.

The bond was issued in 2022, when Geregu Power was under the ownership led by businessman Femi Otedola, years before the present ownership and Board took over.

Yari says discussions are continuing with Otedola and the previous management over how the obligation arose and how the funds he has now advanced should be treated.

His immediate priority, he said, was to make sure bondholders were paid and that the dispute did not further damage confidence in Geregu Power.

The next question is now about reimbursement.

In simple terms: Yari has paid the bond obligation. Bondholders are no longer the ones waiting. The discussion now shifts to Otedola and the previous management over who should ultimately bear the cost.

Yari has also assured shareholders and investors that Geregu Power’s obligations will be honoured and that the company’s future remains secure.

A political cartoon currently making the rounds across social media platforms neatly captures the reality of governance and party politics in Kwara State today.

On one side is a crumbling Kwara APC house, with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq desperately trying to hold the structure together. Beneath him, Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu is depicted licking the Governor’s shoe, an unmistakable criticism of a Speaker whom critics accuse of being too subservient to the executive.

That criticism has now followed Danladi into the 2027 succession conversation. With many Kwarans arguing that a Danladi candidacy would amount to an attempt by AbdulRazaq to retain political control after leaving office — the same kind of godfather politics the Ó Tó Gẹ́ movement once claimed it had come to dismantle.

The man who came to power promising an end to godfatherism is now being accused of trying to manufacture his own political successor.

On the other side of the cartoon stands the PDP: organised, expanding and attracting politicians and supporters dissatisfied with the ruling party.

And perhaps that is the bigger story.

Ó Tó Gẹ́ was never one man’s property. It was a coalition of Kwarans demanding to be heard. Seven years later, that coalition appears to be moving again, but this time, away from the government it helped create.

2027 is still ahead, but the battle for Kwara has clearly begun.

Kwarans on Nairaland, how do you see the political realignment unfolding across the three senatorial districts ahead of 2027?

Maybe he is a man of few words, a leader who believes that actions speak louder than press statements. But over the last few years, Senator Abdul'Aziz Yari has emerged as one of the few Nigerian politicians whose impact can be measured not merely by political rhetoric, but by the number of lives touched through deliberate interventions.

A first-term Senator, two-term Governor of Zamfara State, former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum, and a trusted ally of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senator Yari has over the years cultivated the image of a grassroots politician, a champion of ordinary people, and a bridge-builder across political divides, a rare quality in an era where political relevance is often measured by the volume of public relations campaigns rather than the depth of public service.

For Yari, influence has never been about occupying the headlines every day. Instead, his political philosophy appears to rest on a simpler proposition: when people's lives improve, they become the most credible witnesses to leadership.

Since leaving office as Governor in 2019 and subsequently returning to public office as Senator representing Zamfara West in 2023, Yari has maintained an uncommon consistency in humanitarian support, educational development, political consensus-building and legislative advocacy. While critics and supporters may disagree on aspects of his politics, as they inevitably do with any major political figure, few dispute the scale of his interventions across North-West Nigeria.

In recent years, Senator Yari has repeatedly invested in large-scale humanitarian and welfare programmes targeted at vulnerable communities. One of the clearest examples came in August 2024, when devastating floods swept through Gummi Local Government Area, claiming lives, displacing thousands of residents and destroying homes and livelihoods. In response, Yari donated 15 trucks of relief materials, including rice, millet and maize, alongside 5,000 mattresses and 10,000 blankets to support affected families. He also established an assessment committee to evaluate the damage and pledged support for rebuilding efforts using more durable construction standards.

His humanitarian outreach has not been limited to emergency disasters. Across successive Ramadan and Eid periods, he has overseen the distribution of hundreds of truckloads of rice, maize, millet, guinea corn and sugar across Zamfara State, reaching traditional institutions, religious leaders, women and youth groups, people living with disabilities, community associations and thousands of ordinary families.
For many beneficiaries, these interventions have represented more than seasonal generosity. They have provided immediate relief at moments when families faced extraordinary hardship, whether from natural disasters or economic pressures.

Perhaps the most enduring of Senator Yari's interventions is his commitment to education. Recognising that poverty can deny young people access to higher education, he launched one of the largest privately supported scholarship programmes in the North-West.

The initiative provides comprehensive support for thousands of students, covering tuition fees, accommodation, study materials and monthly upkeep throughout the duration of their academic programmes. Most recently, the programme expanded to support more than 2,000 students, with about N216 million disbursed for tuition payments to beneficiaries, including orphans and other indigent students.

Subsequent disbursements running into hundreds of millions of naira have enabled over two thousand students, including orphans and indigent beneficiaries, to continue their education in universities and tertiary institutions across the region.

Unlike one-off bursaries that provide temporary relief, this initiative is designed to accompany beneficiaries throughout their academic journey, reflecting an understanding that education is one of the most sustainable investments any society can make.

Years from now, the doctors, engineers, teachers, lawyers, pharmacists and entrepreneurs emerging from this programme may well become one of the defining legacies of Yari's public service.

Since joining the Senate in 2023, Yari has also used the national platform to draw attention to the security crisis confronting Zamfara and the wider North-West. He has consistently supported motions calling for stronger federal responses to banditry, rural insecurity and the protection of vulnerable communities. Alongside colleagues from the region, he has advocated coordinated security operations capable of addressing criminal networks that operate across state boundaries.

He has equally lent his voice to discussions on federal infrastructure, particularly roads whose deteriorating condition continues to affect commerce, agriculture and security across northern Nigeria.
While legislative advocacy often attracts less public attention than direct philanthropy, it remains one of the most important responsibilities of any senator: ensuring that the concerns of constituents are heard within the highest lawmaking institution in the country.

One of Senator Yari's distinguishing characteristics has been his ability to build alliances. His political journey has placed him at the centre of several critical moments within the All Progressives Congress, both in Zamfara State and nationally. His influence extends beyond electoral contests into party organisation, reconciliation and consensus-building.

His bid for the Senate Presidency in 2023 demonstrated the breadth of relationships he has cultivated across the National Assembly. Although unsuccessful, his strong showing reflected the confidence many colleagues placed in his leadership.

For Yari, politics has often appeared less about permanent divisions than about building coalitions capable of advancing common goals.

In today's media environment, visibility is frequently mistaken for effectiveness. Social media updates, press conferences and carefully choreographed public appearances often dominate the political conversation. Yari has largely taken a different route. His style has been defined less by constant commentary and more by periodic but substantial interventions, whether through humanitarian assistance, scholarships, community support or legislative engagement.

This quieter approach has not insulated him from criticism, no politician of consequence escapes scrutiny. Yet it has reinforced an image of a leader who prefers to let programmes and beneficiaries speak on his behalf. Perhaps that is why, despite the changing tides of Nigerian politics, Abdul'Aziz Yari continues to command considerable loyalty. Not because he speaks the loudest. But because, for many people, his actions have spoken first.

-Ogunleye is a legislative aide in the 10th National Assembly. He writes from Abuja.

I recently read that Eta Mbora is aggressively pushing for the NDC ticket in the Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal Constituency, and it immediately raised a massive red flag. For those of us who live here, watch the politics of our state, and desperately want real progress, this development forces a cold, uncomfortable reality check. Politics is entirely about momentum.

If you aren't moving forward, you are moving backward—and right now, our people are fiercely impatient for change.

Handing our flag to a recycled politician isn't just a strategic blind spot; it is a declaration that we have run out of fresh ideas. If the NDC wants to win tomorrow’s battles, we cannot rely on yesterday’s defeated generals. We cannot afford to turn our party ticket into a political safety net.

If we look past the noise and the optics, the hard facts show exactly why having the likes of Eta Mbora leading the ticket is a liability the NDC simply cannot afford.

1. The Electorate Has Already Delivered a Clear Verdict
We don’t need to guess how voters feel about him; they told us plainly in 2023. Standing as an incumbent with all the advantages of power, he was soundly defeated, crashing into a distant third place. Rewarding a candidate whom the public actively rejected just a few years ago is a massive gamble that flies in the face of public opinion.

If the general electorate wouldn't buy what he was selling then, why do we think they will buy it now?

2. A Marriage of Convenience, Not Conviction
Let’s be honest about his sudden arrival in the NDC. This wasn’t a sudden ideological alignment; it was a tactical retreat from the internal collapse of his former political home, the PDP. The NDC ticket should belong to the loyal hands who stayed behind to build, fund, and defend this party through its darkest days, not someone treating our platform as a temporary storm shelter.

3. Twenty-Three Years in the System is More Than Enough
His political timeline stretches all the way back to the State Assembly in 2003, moving through local council leadership, and culminating in eight years in the House of Representatives. He has spent over two decades in the corridors of power. If twenty-three years wasn't enough time for him to transform this constituency, another four years won't magically do the trick.

4. The "Old Guard" Brand is Toxic to Modern Voters
The average voter today is exhausted by career politicians who view public office as a lifelong game of musical chairs. People are desperately seeking dynamic, innovative leadership. In this climate, fielding a face from the early 2000s instantly alienates the youth and independent blocks—the very swing voters the NDC absolutely needs to capture the seat.

5. A Stagnant and Forgettable Legislative Record
Eight years in Abuja should leave a legacy you can see and touch—landmark infrastructure, robust human capital development, and systemic empowerment. Instead, his tenure left the grassroots feeling deeply disconnected, defined by underwhelming, uncompleted constituency projects that did little to move the needle for our people.

6. Rusted Grassroots Machinery
The political engine that once kept him afloat has eroded. The energy is gone. His ability to genuinely mobilize the base has shrunk to a fraction of what it used to be, meaning he no longer possesses the structural muscle or the organic goodwill required to win a grueling, multi-party general election.

7. Loyalty That Shifts with the Wind
In sustainable politics, loyalty is everything. If a politician can abandon the political family that sustained him for decades the moment things get difficult, there is absolutely zero guarantee he won’t abandon our platform tomorrow—much like the current incumbent did—if a better offer comes along or the political winds shift again.

8. Importing Yesterday’s Factional Drama
He doesn’t travel alone; he brings the baggage, old grudges, and factional friction of his former political life straight into our camp. Right now, the NDC needs absolute internal cohesion to win. The last thing we need is to import external feuds and old camp rivalries into our family structure.

9. A Deep Generational Disconnect
The challenges facing Calabar Municipal/Odukpani today are modern and complex. We are talking about digital economy integration, innovative trade frameworks, youth unemployment, and contemporary governance. His political style belongs to a completely different era and is fundamentally unequipped to handle modern economic realities.

10. A Career Rescue Mission is Not a Vision
We all know this bid is entirely about a personal political comeback. It’s about personal survival, not a transformative agenda for the constituency. The people of Calabar and Odukpani deserve a representative whose primary focus is the collective future of the constituency, not the resuscitation of a fading personal career.

The choice before the NDC is clear and simple. We can choose energy over exhaustion. We can choose a fresh, bold vision over a recycled past. If we want to win, we must move forward.

Affiong Oyo-Ita writes from Calabar.

brutustech:
So many pwople are bitter over 2023 loss

Former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has reaffirmed his commitment to supporting elderly and vulnerable women during the holy month of Ramadan, as thousands benefitted from this year’s Ile-Arugbo charity distribution in Ilorin.

Saraki said the annual outreach remains a moral and spiritual obligation rooted in compassion, gratitude, and the responsibility to care for the elderly, particularly during a sacred period that emphasises charity and humanity.

He noted that the initiative is intended to ensure that aged women, many of whom depend on communal support, are able to observe Ramadan with dignity and without anxiety about basic meals.

Food items were distributed to the women at the well-known Ile-Arugbo charity home located within Baba Saraki’s GRA residence, continuing a humanitarian tradition closely associated with the family and the political legacy of the late patriarch, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki.

Although Saraki was not physically present at the distribution, the exercise was carried out on his behalf by the Director of Ile-Arugbo and leader of the Baba Saraki Alasalatu group, Hajia Afusat Abubakar, who stood in and closely monitored the process to ensure the items reached the intended beneficiaries in an orderly and respectful manner.

Speaking during the exercise, Hajia Afusat reiterated that the Ile-Arugbo initiative remains dedicated to providing relief, inclusion, and care for elderly women, especially during Ramadan when support for the less privileged becomes even more significant.

The beneficiaries, who turned out in large numbers, expressed gratitude for the food support, describing the gesture as timely and reassuring. They offered prayers for Saraki, asking Allah to reward his generosity, strengthen him, and continue to guide him in service to the people.

The distribution once again reinforced Ile-Arugbo’s enduring reputation as a centre of compassion and community support for elderly women in Ilorin, particularly during the fasting season.

Pussymann:
It's a shame and disgrace

brutustech:
No woman should have to beg for her husband’s life. Please, let the truth come out. El-Rufai where is dadiyata

brutustech:
No amount of pressure from the opposition can stop Reno , he will continue to expose every of their act. This is one unique thing about him

aisha111:
Nasir el-Rufai: The Jeffrey Epstein of Nigeria

By his own admission on live television, an argument can be made that Nasir el-Rufai is Nigeria's version of Jeffrey Epstein, as seen in the famous #Epsteinfiles. Like Epstein, Nasir el-Rufai is a notorious gatherer of negative information on people using illegal means.

Please fact-check me: Six years ago, on Friday, 1 May 2020, when multiple attempts to hack my emails and social media accounts were made, I fingered Nasir el-Rufai as the main suspect.

He had sent me an email in which Southern Nigerian Christian women were described as "whores". And when, in shock, I wrote about it in my Thisday column, I suddenly became the victim of a massive hacking spree across almost all platforms.

Who knows what other Epstein-style blackmail information this self-confessed accessory after the fact to criminal hacking has?

If you are one of his paid 'data boys' or influencers, you had better watch your back!

If you are Waziri Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, or Rotimi Amaechi, please note that there is no spoon long enough to dine with the devil. Someone like el-Rufai can use illegally obtained compromising information to manipulate the ADC primaries.

Given his admission on live TV yesterday, is it a stretch to imagine that, like Jeffrey Epstein, Nasir el-Rufai knows people who use hidden cameras in hotels and private residences to obtain compromising information about people?

Based on what he said on Arise Prime Time yesterday, is el-Rufa'i above espionage, which is the use of illicit sexual activity to entrap people?

If Nasir el-Rufa'i has your phone number, I would urge you to block him immediately; otherwise, we may start hearing all your secrets on television!

Reno Omokri

Gospeller. Deep Thinker. #TableShaker. #1 Bestselling author of Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years. Hodophile. Hollywood Magazine Humanitarian of the Year, 2019. Business Insider Influencer of the Year 2022. 21st Most Talked About Person in Africa, 2024.

https://x.com/i/status/2022655912490439166

Pussymann:
My own is that As long as it is free and fair, I have no probkem.

If Peter Obi Can’t Guarantee Real-Time Money Transfer in His Bank, How Can He Want INEC To Guarantee Real-Time Transmission of Election Results? pic.twitter.com/ZHZQEJcR4m

— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) February 10, 2026