Eight suspended members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have received vehicles from the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to support their political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Reports indicate that Matawalle, a former governor of Zamfara State, directed the immediate release of the vehicles to enable the lawmakers to reach their constituencies and mobilise political support.

The donation reportedly followed a directive from President Bola Tinubu urging the lawmakers to return to Zamfara State and work towards unifying the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The move is also seen as part of ongoing efforts to resolve internal disagreements and reconcile aggrieved party members following months of political tension in the state.

The Managing Director of the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation, Yazid Danfulani, who presented the vehicles on Matawalle’s behalf, said the gesture was aimed at promoting unity and understanding within the party.

According to him, the donation reflects the minister’s determination to bring APC members together and strengthen the party ahead of the forthcoming elections.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Aliyu Ango Kagara thanked Matawalle for the support and pledged that he and the other lawmakers would work towards securing victory for President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

The development comes days after the lawmakers’ spokesman, Ibrahim Bakura, maintained that they had not returned to the APC following their meeting with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa.

Bashir Saidu, a former Chief of Staff to ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, has claimed that several political associates played significant roles in helping the former governor rise to power.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Saidu argued that El-Rufai owes much to the individuals who helped build the political structure that supported his electoral victories, insisting that the former governor did not achieve his political success alone.

The former aide made the remarks during an interview with RFI Hausa, where he also dismissed allegations that he and other former associates had betrayed El-Rufai by withdrawing their political support.

According to Saidu, some members of their political circle had been actively involved in politics long before El-Rufai joined them and contributed substantially to the movement that eventually helped him secure power.

He maintained that those now accused of abandoning the former governor had made considerable sacrifices throughout their shared political journey.

“We begged him to join politics,” Saidu declared.

Reflecting on his political history, the former Chief of Staff said his involvement dated back to the era of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the political activities surrounding the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola.

He also cited Professor Ango Abdullahi and other prominent political figures as individuals familiar with the history of their political engagements.

Saidu further challenged the narrative that El-Rufai personally built and controlled the political structure responsible for his rise, insisting that the contributions of his associates should not be overlooked.

The former aide also rejected claims that he abandoned El-Rufai when the former governor faced difficulties, pointing to his own experiences with arrest and imprisonment.

He recalled being arrested on New Year’s Eve and spending 50 days in prison before his release. He said he subsequently faced several court proceedings, after which his bail was revoked, resulting in another 54 days behind bars.

Saidu added that he spent the most recent Eid-el-Adha celebration in prison.

“It is an outright lie to say we abandoned him,” he insisted.

Explaining the reasons behind the political fallout, Saidu said some former associates had become dissatisfied with what they perceived as a lack of appreciation for their loyalty and sacrifices.

He noted that his relationship with El-Rufai had extended beyond politics to a family-level bond, making the allegations of betrayal particularly troubling.

Saidu also identified disagreements over political succession as one of the factors that contributed to the collapse of their alliance.

According to him, members of their political camp had been supporting Malam Jaafaru as their preferred candidate in Kaduna State without knowing that El-Rufai had already chosen someone else.

He maintained that his decision to part ways with the former governor stemmed largely from his dissatisfaction with how El-Rufai treated the people who had supported his political journey.

Nollywood actress and evangelist Tonto Dikeh has opened up about her spiritual journey, addressing misconceptions surrounding when she gave her life to Christ.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The actress made this known during an interview with Kikelomo Abati, where she explained that her relationship with God began in childhood, long before her recent public declarations of faith.

According to Dikeh, her spiritual journey started at an early age, and she was close to becoming a pastor when she was just 17 years old.

She clarified that her recent expressions of faith should not be mistaken for a newly discovered relationship with God, insisting that her connection with Christ had existed for years.

The actress also explained that the messages she said she received from God were personal experiences that happened privately and were not intended to serve as public proof of her faith.

Speaking during the interview, Dikeh said: “Everything I said God told me, he told me in private, there’s a misconception about when I gave my life to Christ. I’ve always been with Christ, to the point where I was going to be ordained a pastor at 17 years old.”

In January 2026, the actress also spoke about her longstanding spiritual calling, revealing that she had come close to becoming a pastor at the age of 19 but eventually abandoned that path.

She explained that she had been attending church since leaving secondary school and had experienced a strong connection with God from an early age.

However, Dikeh acknowledged that personal struggles and life experiences eventually contributed to her drifting away from her faith.