Politics

Political polygamy: Govs’ spouses battle for First Lady role

Published

2 years ago

April 28, 2024

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VICTOR AYENI examines how the office of the First Lady in Nigeria, created by many governors, has become a hotly coveted title among some state governors who have more than one wife, as the rivalry between their wives spills into the public space

In a not-too-subtle competition for influence, Titilola and Ngozi, the two wives of the Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, locked horns, each claiming to be the First Lady of the state.

Titilola, reputed to be the governor’s first wife, proudly bears the traditional title of Yeye Soludero of Ila Orangun in Osun State. She was honoured with the NET Ambassador award in 2023.

The governor’s other wife, Ngozi, from Dimorji Obokwe Mbieri in Imo State, was named the Face of Adire by former president Olusegun Obasanjo. She also recently received the United Nations Peace Ambassador award.

On April 22, 2024, two viral photos of the posters bearing the photos of the wives of the governor welcoming Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, to the state went viral on social media.

Senator Tinubu was billed to be in Osogbo, the state capital, the next day for the inauguration of the Alternative High School for Girls at Oke D.O, Ilesha Road.

The inscription on the poster bearing Ngozi’s photo read, “Welcome to the State of Living Spring. Experience the beauty of Osun State’s landscape,” and was signed off with her name as First Lady of the state.

In a separate poster, Titilola also welcomed Mrs Tinubu to the “Official turning of the sod ceremony of the Alternative High School for Girls at Oke D.O, Ilesha Road, Osogbo” signed off as First Lady of the state.

Checks by our correspondent showed that Ngozi and Titilola have the title “First Lady” clearly written on their X (formerly Twitter) bios, with the former conspicuously including the title in her X name.

Netizens differ

As the two fliers by Adeleke’s wives went viral, many social media users described the situation as confusing, while others lauded the First Lady title taken by both women.

A Facebook user, Anthony Alfred, wrote, “There’s nothing like first ladies in one family. The first wife is the first lady and the second wife is the second lady like that till the 700th lady or more. Moreover, when a man marries more than one wife, the office of the First Lady should be scrapped because of limited state resources.

Another Facebook user, OgoAdulawo, wrote, “Traditionally. In Yoruba culture, it is customary for the first wife to hold a position of authority over the other wives. As a result, the first wife is recognised as the foremost lady of Osun State, unless the governor intentionally designates a different individual for the title.

“It is worth noting that this cultural practice is deeply rooted within the social fabric of the Yoruba people and has been upheld for generations. Thus, it is important to acknowledge and respect this tradition’s significance and impact on the Yoruba culture.”

On his part, another netizen, Sirajudeen Abdulazeez, noted that the issue of a governor having more than one wife had never been an issue, so the two fliers inviting Senator Tinubu was not a problem.

“If the governor has more than one as is common with most sane African men then they are all first ladies. This has never been an issue in the country.

“Most northern governors have more than one wife and it has never generated any controversy. Besides, the Osun people are not complaining. Let’s do responsible and issue-based journalism. The women have not said they are fighting or competing. They are both first ladies.”

But another X user, Aderemi Bukola, said there were no constitutional provisions for the office of the first lady, so any political office holder could have as many first ladies as possible.

“One is only good to prevent confusion and scandals,” Bukola.

Flier bearing Ngozi’s photo fake – Gov’s aide

Following the controversy that greeted the two fliers, Governor Ademola Adeleke, through his spokesman, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, disowned the flier which purportedly came from the office of Mrs Ngozi.

Rasheed, in a statement on Monday (April 22, 2024), explained that Titilola was the First Lady, and would be the one to receive Tinubu’s wife during the visit.

He said, “The attention of Mr Governor has been drawn to fake news in circulation about conflict over who among the governor’s two wives is to host the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on her official visit to the state tomorrow (Tuesday, April 23, 2024)

“For clarification, Chief (Mrs) Titilola Adeleke, the First Lady of Osun, is officially hosting the First Lady of the republic tomorrow in line with the directive of Mr Governor; there is no confusion on this official position.”

The governor’s aide further stated that the mastermind of the fake flier had been arrested.

“The flier circulating purportedly from the office of Erelu Ngozi Adeleke, the wife of the state governor, is fake news and the person behind it was nabbed and questioned last night.

“The said flier was never authorised by Erelu Ngozi Adeleke. The material was manufactured and shared by elements who wanted to sow discord and create an atmosphere of confusion,” he added.

Mrs Tinubu, Ooni recognise Osun ‘first ladies’

But the President’s wife, while speaking at the event, recognised the governor’s wives as first ladies.

“Let me also reiterate that Osun State was chosen as the location for this school through a transparent and unbiased raffle draw process at a strategic meeting with the state first ladies. So, rest assured that the siting of this school here in Osogbo, emanated from a fair process and it is a divinely guided one,” Mrs Tinubu said.

In his remarks, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, also acknowledged the role played by the governor’s wives in being a driving force behind the government.

“We will wait for you (Tinubu) over and over again for us to give you that honour. It’s very obvious that you are a unifier in this country; we can see all our first ladies behind our powerful political leaders, they are all sitting here, very gentle and amiable, they are the driving force behind all these political leaders that we are,” the monarch stated.

Adeleke’s wives not alone

Findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that several state governors, aside from Adeleke, have more than one wife, but some of whom jointly lay claim to the title of the First Lady.

Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, is married to two wives, Zainab and Nafisa, who not only jointly run the office of the First Lady of the state, but also oversee two separate non-governmental agencies.

The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has two wives, Zulaihat and Fatima. Zulaihat is reputed to be the state’s First Lady while Fatima has the term, “Wife of the Executive Governor” written on her official Instagram and X profiles.

However, our correspondent sighted several pages and videos on different websites where the title of “First Lady” was used for the governor’s second wife, Fatima.

Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Yahaya, also has two wives – Asmau and Amina. Only Asmau is known as the official First Lady of the state.

Also included is the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who is married to Aishatu and Mariana. His first wife is officially recognised as the state’s First Lady.

Conversely, the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, who has two wives – Mariam and Zainab –stated that his wives “will not be part of the governance” and has not recognised either of them as First Lady.

An X user, MS Ingawa, who claimed to have personally met Radda’s two wives, wrote, “It’s actually funny for people to waste their energy on (an) office with no constitutional mandate to the extent that we measure the governor’s competence or ability based on the selection of the First Lady.

“The office is at the discretion of the elected governor who may choose to officially recognise it or not. Recognised or not, the wife (wives) of the governor will play almost (the) same role.

Ingawa said there had been governors in Nigeria whose wives were not known to the public.

“Some have more than one and nobody cares to know about them or even fight for the office on their behalf. It’s different in Katsina because all the two wives have a media presence. People tend to discuss more about what they see every day.”

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, a lawyer, Segun Oladejo, explained that the title had no constitutional backing but had been merely recognised due to its usage over the years.

“The office of the First Lady of the federation or the state doesn’t enjoy constitutional favour. It became recognised as a result of continuous and long usage by different administrations over the years.

“Coming on the stride of anti-corruption in 2015, (Former president, Muhammadu) Buhari, stated that he won’t have the office because it’s not recognised but we all know what became of it as Aisha used it to the fullest. There can only be one person occupying the office,” Oladejo said.

Politics

City Boy Movement sacks Oyo coordinator for insulting TInubu, son

Published

4 hours ago

August 7, 2026

Austin Ojomah

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The City Boy Movement (CBM) has fired Ahmed Ajibola as its Oyo State Coordinator for insulting President Bola Tinubu, Seyi Tinubu and the leadership of the movement.

A statement signed by the movement’s Director-General, Francis Shoga, on Thursday, said Mr Ajibola’s removal came barely two months after he was issued a formal notice to respond to several allegations contained in a petition submitted against him.

On the 2nd of June, 2026, a notice signed by the Director-General of the City Boy Movement, Hon. Francis Oluwatosin Shoga, Ajibola was accused of making abusive, insulting and derogatory remarks against the national leadership of the Movement, including the Director-General.

“The petition also alleged that he made offensive comments concerning the Movement’s Patron, Barr. Seyi Tinubu, directed derogatory remarks at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, engaged in acts of insubordination and disrespect towards constituted authority,” the statement read.

According to the statement, Mr Ajibola also challenged a leader of the movement in the state to a physical confrontation and engaged in conduct capable of bringing the image and reputation of the City Boy Movement into disrepute.

The appointment letter also clarified that the state coordinator reports directly to the Oyo State Director of the City Boy Movement and operates under the director’s authority, supervision and overall leadership,” it added.

Politics

Bode George Needs To Take A Rest, He Should Stop Being Embarrassingly Shameless – Wike’s Aide

Published

1 day ago

August 6, 2026

Austin Ojomah

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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) former Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George, has been advised to borrow a bit of maturity that comes with old age from those with whom he ruled Nigeria 38 years ago, take a rest and “stop embarrassing himself and the Yoruba race by persistently dancing naked in the market place of politics.”

Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said “For someone who was Military Governor of the old Ondo State in 1988 (38 years ago), some level of decorum and maturity is expected. But it is becoming an embarrassment the way a man like Chief Bode George, who should be acting like an elder statesman, is jumping from one television station to the other to malign people who are young enough to be his children.”

Olayinka, who challenged Bode George to show what his leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has produced, added that “Since 1999, he has not won his polling unit for the PDP.

“Unlike Lagos State, we have had PDP governors in Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo and Osun States. Methinks rather than doing ‘cho cho cho’ all the time, Bode George needs to tell Nigerians why PDP has remained at the sideline in the politics of Lagos State since 1999.”

Admonishing Bode George to begin to “act like an elder that he is supposed to be,” Olayinka said; “Even if a man was overspoilt, rascally, too playful and dull as a child, at 81, he should have outgrown those vices.”

He said; “In Yorubaland, it is a strict cultural and traditional rule to respect elders. However, this respect is not automatic, it is conditional and the major condition is that an elder must avoid disrespecting himself. That is the reason it is said that ‘an elder who chooses to tie corn to his waist and run around will have fowls chasing and making mockery of him.

“Today, who among those eminent Nigerians who served as Military Governors with Bode George between 1988 and 1990 are doing ‘political we no go gree’ up and down, jumping from one media house to another to lie? Even in the PDP, who among those who served in the party’s National Working Committee with him is talking anyhow in the media as he is doing?

“Most importantly, to be respected, an elder should honour his own words. Six times, Bode George vowed to leave Nigeria should Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerged as President, he never did.

“In 2015, ahead of the presidential election, Bode George promised to go on exile if APC emerged victorious in the presidential election.

“In February 2020, he said he will disown Nigeria to take the citizenship of Togo or any other country if Tinubu is elected president.

“On May 7, 2021, on Arise News, Bode George echoed his stand that he will cease to be a Nigerian should Tinubu get the presidency.

“Also in 2021, while featuring on Arise News, Bode George said he will review and renounce his citizenship of Nigeria if Tinubu becomes president.

“In January 2022, after Tinubu had announced his bid to contest for president, Bode George said he will move away from Nigeria.

“At a press briefing on March 19, 2022, Bode George further reiterated that his promise to leave Nigeria if Tinubu emerged president was no joke.

“He said then that ‘If by whatever chance he (Tinubu) gets to the villa, I won’t be part of this country. And I am not joking. I can go to Ghana and be watching with binoculars from afar.’

“Now, it is more than three years of Tinubu as President and he (Bode George) has failed to honour his own words. Should such an elder still be regarded as honourable?”

The FCT Minister’s Spokesperson insisted that the Minister will continue to stand by what he said that Bode George lacked the required moral standing to sermonised about corruption, being one of the founding fathers of corruption in Nigeria.

“Wike was clear. He said Bode George’s Abuja house was acquired with funds from Rivers State, and he stands by this.

“Bode George said he bought the property from a private owner through an agent. That is not the issue.

“Wike’s statement was never about who the property was purchased from or through. Rather, what he said was that the money with which the property was acquired came from Rivers State, and this is the question Bode George must answer,” Olayinka concluded.

Politics

Amaechi, a political liability with zero electoral value in Rivers — Wike

Published

3 days ago

August 4, 2026

Austin Ojomah

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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has launched a scathing attack on former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, describing him as a “political liability” with no electoral value in Rivers State or the wider South-South region.

Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Tuesday, Wike questioned the rationale behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar—considering Amaechi as a running mate, suggesting that such a choice could only be driven by financial considerations rather than voting strength.

“If you are choosing a Vice Presidential candidate, a running mate, I’m sure the only factor that has been used to choose Rotimi Amaechi, may be financial because the former governor lacks the capacity to deliver votes.

Backing his claims with historical election data, Wike pointed out that Amaechi has failed to secure significant votes in Rivers State across multiple election cycles despite holding high-profile positions.

“He has never won a presidential election after 2011 when I was the Director of Campaign. Never! He was the Director-General of Buhari in 2015 when he was governor; why did he not get 25%?

“He was the DG in 2019 when he was a Super Minister; why did he not get 25%? He supported Atiku in 2023; how come he didn’t get 15%?” Wike queried.

The FCT Minister defined a true political asset as a former governor who retains followership and can point to tangible achievements delivered to his state during his tenure in federal office.

He challenged Amaechi to present the direct benefits his leadership brought to the people of Rivers State and the South-South region.

Wike further accused the former Transportation Minister of political inconsistency, noting that Amaechi had previously criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries as corrupt and irregular, only to turn around and participate in or benefit from the same system.

“This was the same man, just one month ago, who said the APC primary is manual, irregularity, and corruption.

“How can we talk about removing a government that we are saying there is no election, and then we are in another election?

“The same man now is benefiting from the corruption, from irregularities of the same system,” he said.

Reiterating why the region would reject Amaechi’s national ambitions, Wike highlighted past political decisions, including Amaechi’s open opposition to former President Goodluck Jonathan—a fellow South-South indigene—during his 2015 re-election bid, as well as his perceived role in the removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen.

“A South-South person wanted to go for a second term. You were proud you kicked him out. Now, will South-South be happy for you to be Vice President?

“You think that people have forgotten?” Wike asked, adding that the electorate in the region would demand accountability for these actions.

Contrasting his administration’s track record with that of his predecessor, Wike highlighted major infrastructural developments in Rivers State, such as the Bonny Road project, arguing that the state has received unprecedented federal attention under the current political dispensation compared to previous administrations.

“Never in the history of Rivers State, from 1999, of those who claimed to be very close to the President, have we had the type of attention that Rivers State has now.