Former Zamfara Central Senator and ex-All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Kabir Garba Marafa, has revealed that Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, cut off communication with him after the 2023 general election due to his stance on Lagos politics.
Speaking during an interview with Arise TV, Marafa disclosed that his support for former Lagos East lawmaker, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, during the APC primaries created lasting friction between him and the First Lady.
“She (Remi Tinubu) is part of these problems now because of so many reasons. My support for my friend Senator Ashafa when he was denied a ticket in Lagos—I felt very bad about it, and I spoke to Mr. President. Like I told you, we’re very close with him. I called him and I talked to him. I said, ‘Sir, I’m your boy. Anywhere you call me, I will go.’ He later called me to Lagos and explained things to me. I think that didn’t settle well with Her Excellency,” Marafa stated.
The Zamfara politician, however, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for how he managed the situation, describing him as a leader willing to listen.
“I so much appreciated what Mr. President did for me that time in Lagos, in his house. We spent more than an hour, with him explaining to me why he took the decision regarding the ticket holders of Lagos. That is one of the things that makes me respect President Tinubu. But I think Her Excellency wasn’t happy with that,” Marafa explained.
He further narrated how his efforts to reconcile with Senator Remi Tinubu after the APC’s electoral victory were unsuccessful.
“So after they won the election, I tried to call her several times, but she didn’t pick up. And I remember when I finally got through to her, the first thing she reminded me of was this Ashafa issue,” Marafa added.
