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ADC: Weak Legislators Are Hostages Of Their Governors, Says David Mark
ADC: Weak Legislators Are Hostages Of Their Governors, Says David Mark
ADC: Weak legislators are hostages of their Governors, says David Mark. Former Senate President and National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has declared that Nigerian legislators who lack strong grassroots support are political hostages in the hands of state governors.
Mark made the assertion while chairing the public presentation of the book The Burden of Legislators in Nigeria at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja, where he delivered a blunt assessment of the power imbalance between the executive and the legislature in Nigeria’s democratic system.
According to him, the legislature, though the backbone of democracy, is the most vulnerable and most attacked arm of government, constantly under pressure from governors, political parties, the judiciary, the electorate and internal legislative weaknesses.
He said governors, as de facto leaders of party structures in the states, wield enormous influence over lawmakers, warning that at the slightest provocation, a governor can deny a legislator the party ticket or deploy state power to frustrate legislators who belong to opposition parties.
“Once you are elected, the problem becomes compounded,” Mark said, noting that many legislators operate in fear of governors who control party machinery and political structures.
However, he stressed that the situation is reversible. Mark argued that when a legislator is deeply rooted in his senatorial district with massive grassroots backing, the power dynamics change. “If you are strong in your constituency, instead of being at the mercy of your governor, the governor will be at your mercy,” he said.
The former Senate President explained that this conviction informed his decision to begin his political career in the legislature, not because it was glamorous, but because it remains the most important pillar of democracy.
David Mark
He urged Nigerians to exercise patience with lawmakers, noting that legislators are burdened with responsibilities that often arise from weak grassroots governance and failed service delivery.
Author of the book, Senator Effiong Bob, said the memoir is intended as a practical handbook for current and aspiring legislators, detailing the path to parliament, the realities of legislative work and the pressures of representation.
He added that the book confronts key challenges such as excessive constituency demands and the damaging influence of political godfatherism, particularly in candidate selection.
The event attracted prominent political figures, including Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Enoh, and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. The book was reviewed by Prof. Maxwell Gidado, SAN, and published by Premium Times.
ADC Mourns Former House of Representatives Member, Alhaji Abba Anas Adamu
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of one of its chieftains in Jigawa State and former member of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Abba Anas Adamu, who died after being abducted by bandits along the Kaduna-Abuja highway.
The full statement read:
We in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are deeply saddened by the tragic death of one of our chieftains in Jigawa State, former House of Representatives member, Alhaji Abba Anas Adamu.
On behalf of our National Chairman, National Secretary, the entire National Working Committee (NWC), and the entire ADC family, we mourn the passing of a man who devoted himself to public service and grassroots politics with humility, dignity, and integrity.
Eereporter.com
Alhaji Abba Anas Adamu, who represented Birniwa/Guri/Kirikasamma Federal Constituency from 2007 to 2011, was widely respected for his calm disposition, accessibility, and commitment to his people. His death is a painful loss, not just to his family and Jigawa State, but to all of us in the ADC family.
ADC
We pray that Almighty Allah forgives his shortcomings, grants him Aljannatul Firdaus, and comforts his family and loved ones in this difficult moment.
His tragic passing is yet another painful reminder of the growing insecurity confronting our country.
Signed:
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
National Publicity Secretary
African Democratic Congress (ADC)
Peter Obi: I’ll Be A One-Term President, Even With A Gun To My Head
Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 poll, says he will serve only one term of four years if elected president — even if a gun were pointed to his head.
Obi spoke in an interview scheduled to air on News Central TV on Thursday.
“I want to be a one-term president because of stability,” he said.
“I would not stay a day longer than four years, even with a gun to my head.”
The ex-Anambra governor also criticised the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration, including borrowing and the rising cost of living, saying Nigeria has entered one of its most difficult periods ever.
Eereporter.com
Obi polled third in the last general election, behind former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Tinubu, eventual winner of the contest.
After aligning with the opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in June 2025, Obi consistently pledged to serve a single term if elected president.
Speaking during a Twitter Space hosted by Parallel Facts on June 30, 2025, Obi said any candidate from the south elected president in 2027 must be prepared to leave office on May 28, 2031, in line with the “unwritten power-sharing agreement” and the zoning principle.
He added that the zoning principle — which rotates the presidency between the north and south — is a commitment he has long championed.
In a post on his official X page in August last year, the former running mate emphasised his one-term pledge.
Peter Obi
He said history has shown that purposeful leadership is not defined by how long one stays in power but by the impact made within a short period.
“One of the greatest American presidents, Abraham Lincoln, served only four years, yet his legacy endures. John F. Kennedy did not complete a full term, but his ideals still inspire,” he wrote.
“In Africa, Nelson Mandela, revered globally as a symbol of justice and reconciliation, chose to serve only one term as president of South Africa despite immense public pressure to stay longer.
“His decision was a deliberate act of leadership — a statement that power must serve the people, not the self.
“Indeed, history shows that the longer many African leaders remain in power, the more likely they are to be corrupted by it.”
Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano, left the ADC for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) on May 3.
On May 9, the NDC said it would be zoning its presidential ticket to the south of Nigeria ahead of the 2027 election — a region Obi hails from.
President Tinubu Hails Outcome Of 10th France-Nigeria Business Council Meeting
President Bola Tinubu has welcomed the outcomes of the 10th France-Nigeria Business Council Meeting, held on Tuesday at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, describing them as a clear signal that Nigeria and France are moving from dialogue to delivery.
With trade between both countries reaching $4.7 billion in 2025 and Nigeria remaining the top destination for French investment in sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Tinubu says the relationship now carries real economic weight and must be translated into more jobs, industries, infrastructure, and shared prosperity.
The meeting, which was also attended by Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, and France’s minister delegate, Nicolas Forissier, saw leading Nigerian and French businesses provide updates on key projects and commit to further expanding collaboration between both countries.
Eereporter.com
Mr Tinubu, at the summit, commended the current chairman of the France-Nigeria Business Council, Aigboje Aig Imoukhuede, for convening a productive session that brought together leading Nigerian and French private-sector players, according to a statement by the presidency.
The president also acknowledged the participation of Aliko Dangote, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Tony Elumelu, Wale Tinubu, Kola Karim, Kashim Bukar, Patrick Pouyanné of TotalEnergies, Rodolphe Saadé of CMA CGM, Danone, Accor, and other partners, whose presence reflects growing confidence in Nigeria’s reform direction and long-term competitiveness.
Mr Tinubu particularly welcomed the signing between Accor and Shoreline Group for Nigeria’s first national hotel platform, describing it as a major vote of confidence in Nigeria’s hospitality, tourism, services and investment future.
“This is the partnership Nigeria is ready for. We are ready for investment that builds, capital that produces, and an enterprise that creates jobs. Nigeria and France are no longer simply exchanging goodwill. We are opening a new chapter of serious economic execution,” said the president.
President Tinubu
Mr Tinubu further affirmed that his administration would continue to strengthen the business environment, support credible investors, and deepen reforms to make Nigeria a more stable, productive, and competitive economy.
“The message from the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi is that Nigeria is ready, France is engaged, and the private sector in both countries is moving forward.
The next chapter of Africa-Europe relations will be written in factories, hotels, ports, energy projects, technology platforms, farms, jobs and new value chains,” Mr Tinubu added.
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