Following the shock defection of the former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode from the nation’s opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), there have been several reactions to the move.
Even though defections and cross-carpeting are a regular feature of the Nigerian political sphere (and especially for FFK himself who has changed political parties at different times in his political career), most Nigerians are still surprised. This is particularly because he was one of the strongest voices in the opposition and judging from his past comments on the APC, no one thought it would be a possibility.
The former PDP stalwart has previously vowed that he would never join the APC and even said he would prefer to die than to join the ruling party.
Babafemi Ojudu, who is the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, describes the day Femi Fani-Kayode joined the APC as “the saddest day in his political career” in a post he posted on his Facebook account.
Dr. Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi labeled the former Aviation Minister as the “Judas of Oduduwa.” He said in a Facebook post:
“I have for long, neglected the rantings of the Judas of Oduduwa attacking me knowing fully well that he is fake and a traitor. Time has now caught up with him and thanks to Allah, all his vituperations are cast in the dustbin of merciless history. It is him now, one wonders which of the seven circles of hell this duper will settle if he doesn’t repent.”
FFK Defection
Nigeria’s opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has come to terms with the new development with the defection of FFK and has wished him well in his future aspirations with the APC. According to the DAILY INDEPENDENT, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said “The party wishes him the best in his future vocation.”
Still on the reactions generated by the move, aide to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, has berated the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the reception accorded Mr. Kayode.
Taking to his Facebook page, Joe Igbokwe, a former spokesperson of the APC in Lagos, slammed the ruling party for giving a political “charlatan and prostitute” like Fani-Kayode a red carpet welcome.
“Despite all my push for APC, Abuja has not given me a phone talk less of inviting me for coffee with the C-in-C. But here is a political charlatan and prostitute being given a red carpet in the seat of power, Abuja,”
On his part, Reno Omokri accused FFK of being a Judas who betrayed Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho for “30 pieces of silver”. Mr. Omokri wrote on Instagram:
FFK Defection
“You say you are a friend of Sunday Igboho. You called him your brother. You called Nnamdi Kanu your “friend and brother” and one of the most courageous persons you know. You see what this demon in human flesh is doing to these freedom fighters, yet you do this?
“It makes me suspicious. How can these two people who were close to you and who confided in you, end up in Buhari’s trap, and then you join his party? This looks like 30 pieces of silver! At this point, I would very much hate to be your friend and brother.”
Precious Chikwendu, the estranged wife of former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, was not left out as she has taken to her Instastories to shade her ex-husband for joining the All Progressive Congress (APC). The post read:
“My father always told me the chi nwam “ezigbo afa ka ego” A good name is better than riches. Truly it is. Ifele adighi eme onye ori obu umu nna ya ka ona eme.” (A thief is not always as ashamed as his relatives).
Gunmen abduct Kwara APC chairman’s wife, daughter in midnight raid
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted the wife and daughter of Alhaji Muhammad Swasun, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The victims, identified as Hajiya Fatima and her daughter Amina, were seized on Sunday, September 7, at night when a five-man armed gang stormed the party chairman’s residence in Sakpefu.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the attackers scaled the compound fence and opened fire indiscriminately to terrify residents before breaking into one of the rooms.
“They entered into one of the rooms where they found his wife and daughter and took them away, shooting into the air,” a party executive told reporters, adding that the chairman narrowly escaped being kidnapped himself.
Another APC member confirmed that the gunmen operated for several minutes before whisking the women to an undisclosed location.
“The bandits abducted his wife, Hajiya Fatima, and his daughter, Amina, and took them to an unknown destination,” the source explained, according to Vanguard.
The latest abduction has heightened anxiety in Patigi, a region already grappling with recurring cases of kidnapping.
Residents have repeatedly urged the government and security operatives in recent months to intensify efforts to curb the menace.
Ace Comedian Ali Baba evicted from Victoria Island property over legal dispute
Veteran Nigerian comedian Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, has been evicted from his luxurious, multi-million-naira property located in Victoria Island due to a court dispute.
The property, which was purchased for ₦220 million by Ali Baba, is the subject of an ownership dispute at the Federal High Court.
Amid the legal dispute, Ali Baba and his company, XQZMOI TV, were evicted from the property located at 324A Akin Ogunlewe Street.
The eviction was carried out by bailiffs of the Federal High Court following a writ of possession signed on August 15, 2025.
The property in question was initially sold to Ali Baba by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) in 2021 for ₦220 million.
At the time, AMCON claimed it was recovering debts allegedly owed by Harold Expansion Industries Nigeria Limited.
But Harold Expansion disputed the debt and counterclaimed that they had already made repayments. Their lawyer, Benjamin Olayiwola Sadibo, insisted that the property was sold wrongfully.
On July 31, 2025, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court delivered a verdict that changed everything as he dismissed AMCON’s case, ruling that the corporation had failed to provide convincing evidence of the alleged debt.
The Justice stressed that AMCON did not even present a statement of account to back its claims a fatal omission for a creditor. Worse still, AMCON did not file a defence against Harold Expansion’s counterclaim, leaving the court with no choice but to side with the company.
In addition to ordering the property to be returned to the family of its original owner, the judge also imposed ₦500 million in damages on AMCON.
Ali Baba’s culpability in the case came as a result of the timing of the purchase. Records show that he purchased the property while the case was still in court, despite an existing preservation order.
He was said to have been a tenant of the property’s original owner before AMCON evicted the family and sold it.
Police summon El-Rufai, other Kaduna ADC chieftains over alleged criminal conspiracy
The Kaduna Command of the Nigerian Police has summoned former Governor of the state, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, and other top chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). In the summons letter dated September 4, 2025, the ADC members were invited for questioning over alleged incitement of public disturbance, criminal conspiracy, mischief, and causing grievous hurt.
Signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Uzainu Abdullahi, the letter said the invited individuals are required to come and clarify the allegations against them.
“This Department is currently investigating the above-mentioned case involving the following members of your party. You are requested to come along with them to SCID to clarify allegations reported against them by the complainants on 8th September, 2025.
“Mal. Nasir El-Rufa’i, Bashir Sa’idu, Jafaru Sani, Ubaidullah Mohammed, aka 30, Nasiru Maikano, Aminu Abita, and Ahmed Rufa’i Hussaini, aka Mikiya,” the letter reads.
Sani, one of the invited members and ADC North-West Vice Chairman, told Daily Trust that he learned of the invitation through social media.
“Yes, most of us only saw the statement on social media,” he said, declining further comments.
The development followed the heated exchanges between the Kaduna State government and El-Rufai over the violence that rocked an ADC meeting in the state last week.
The government accused the former Governor of plotting to cause destabilisation in the state through provocative actions and inflammatory statements.
In a statement signed by Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, the government said it wouldn’t sit idle and watch El-Rufai plunge the state back into violence, division, and insecurity.
“This Government will not fold its arms and allow a discredited former leader, who left the state in ruins, to ignite chaos and plunge the state into another era of ethno-religious tension, insecurity, and economic stagnation,” the statement read.
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