Tit-for-Tat: The Explosive Rift Between Niger State Governor and His No. 2
Escalation in the Relationship Between Niger's Governor and Deputy: Unveiling the Source of Disagreement
Tensions in Niger State are running high following an apparent rupture between Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago and his Deputy, Yakubu Garba. Speculations brew that Garba might be preparing to rid himself of the post.
Garba's unexpected departure from his official digs, positioned conveniently across from the Justice Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna, has lit a match to the powder keg of rumors. Insiders claim the discord started shortly after the duo took office in May 2023.
According to Daily Trust, the catalyst for their fallout stems from a leaked recording of a private conversation between Garba and unspecified individuals. In the recording, Garba supposedly delivers scathing criticism of Governor Bago's decision-making. When the recording reached the governor's ears, it sparked distrust.
Some political voices speculate that the growing divide is part of a master plan hatched by Niger East power brokers to weaken Garba's grip ahead of the 2031 governorship rotation anticipated to favor the region.
Assigned as a lame duck, Garba has been systematically sidelined from state affairs, often left powerless to act in the governor's absence, even during his out-of-state excursions. The only instance he functioned as governor was in November 2024, when Bago traveled to the United States.
A Warning Bell Over the Consensus List
The most recent trigger in the spat was reportedly a phone call from Bago to Garba, urging him to reel in his supporters, who were simmering over the APC's local government consensus list. It's said that the deputy, disgruntled, decided to abandon his official abode.
"The governor rang the deputy yesterday and issued him a warning. That's when the deputy opted to skedaddle from his official residence," a source disclosed.
An insider close to the government maintains that Garba has already boxed up his personal effects from his residence and office, set to tender his resignation upon Bago's return from Russia.
However, Bologi Ibrahim, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, scoffed at any knowledge of a break-up between the two leaders. Similarly, Unmulkhatumi Abdullahi Kuta, the Deputy Governor's Press Secretary, flatly denied the reports of Garba's resignation, insisting that he resides on the premises.
The Frenzied Over Consensus Local Government Lists
The fallout is also embroiled with the APC consensus list for the November 2025 local government elections. After it came to light that Deputy Governor Garba's preferred candidate for Shiroro LGA, Babangida Wasa Kudodo, was dropped in favor of Isyaku Bawa, followers in the Lakpma zone staged protests. They claim the governor has contemptuously ignored a zoning agreement meant to place the chairmanship in their region.
"We voted for Bago due to Garba. If our choice isn’t recognized, the APC will suffer here in 2027," said youth leader Ahmed Sarki Chukuba during a protest in Shiroro.
A Tightened Reign on the Deputy Governor's Office Budget
Sources also allude to a shrewd maneuver by the governor to scale down the budget for the deputy governor's office from ₦50 million to ₦20 million. Some of Garba's duties were allegedly shifted to the Deputy Chief of Staff, the governor's younger brother.
In a move that served to heighten the already tense situation, Garba reportedly convened a secret meeting with his aides from 4 pm to 1 am on Sunday, subsequently requesting them to vacate the official residence.
Scarcely any significant political figures, including the Speaker of the State House of Assembly and top APC stakeholders, have reportedly sought to intervene, urging Garba to reconsider his decision to resign.
Cracks Extend Beyond Shiroro LGA
The crisis doesn't end with Shiroro LGA. In Mokwa, APC members mobilized against the imposition of the incumbent chairman, Jibril Abdullahi Muregi, over a consensus candidate, Ibrahim Buka, agreed upon through zoning.
"If our candidate gets overlooked, we’ll express our outrage at the polls. The APC is deteriorating its base," said protest leader Mohammed Idris.
Mohammed Idris Malagi, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, inadvertently addressed the escalating tension during the launch of flight operations at the Minna airport on April 23.
"By the way, you know a deputy governor’s job. It requires a mountain of patience to pull it off, anywhere in the world," Malagi said, seemingly in reference to the deepening political upheaval.
Observers have drawn parallels between the current crisis and the fisticuffs that erupted between former Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and his deputy, Ahmed Musa Ibeto, in 2015, when Aliyu supposedly locked Ibeto out of an executive council meeting following his defection to the APC.
- Rumors suggest that Yakubu Garba, the deputy governor of Nigeria, might be planning to resign from his position, following a rift with Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago.
- Garba's departure from his official residence, near the Justice Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna, has fueled speculation about his intentions.
- The discord between the two leaders is said to have started shortly after they took office in May 2023, although the exact cause remains unclear.
- Some political voices believe that the growing divide is part of a strategy by Niger East power brokers to weaken Garba's influence ahead of the 2031 governorship rotation in the region.
- Garba has been systematically sidelined from state affairs, left powerless to act in the governor's absence, even during his out-of-state excursions.
- The most recent trigger in the spat was a phone call from Bago to Garba, urging him to reel in his supporters, who were upset over the APC's local government consensus list.
- The APC consensus list for the November 2025 local government elections has been a point of contention, with protestors claiming that the governor has disregarded a zoning agreement.
- The crisis extends beyond Shiroro LGA, with APC members in Mokwa mobilizing against the imposition of the incumbent chairman, over a consensus candidate agreed upon through zoning.
