Yobe APC Chairman Sparks Controversy After Telling Women to Leave Husbands Who Oppose APC Vote
The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Yobe State, Muhammad Gadaka, has attracted widespread attention after telling married women to consider leaving their husbands if they were prevented from voting for the ruling party in the 2027 general election.
Gadaka made the controversial remarks during a political gathering in Nangere Local Government Area of Yobe State, where he was addressing supporters and welcoming new members into the APC.
The statement quickly generated controversy because it linked political loyalty with marriage and appeared to encourage women to take the extreme step of ending their relationships over disagreements about voting preferences.
However, after the remarks triggered criticism, Gadaka withdrew the statement and apologised, insisting that his words had been misunderstood and that he was speaking in the context of a traditional joking relationship between communities.
The development has nevertheless renewed discussion about the increasingly heated political mobilisation taking place across Nigeria ahead of the 2027 elections.
What Gadaka Told Women at the Political Gathering
During his address in Nangere, Gadaka appealed to women to remain committed to the APC even if their husbands disagreed with their political preference.
He went further by suggesting that a woman whose husband attempted to prevent her from voting for the party should leave the marriage.
He also offered to pay the bride price of any woman who took such a step and indicated that he would marry her.
The remark, which was captured on video and subsequently circulated widely, immediately attracted public attention.
The unusual nature of the statement made it particularly controversial because voting is an individual political choice, while marriage involves family relationships, religious considerations and social responsibilities.
Rather than presenting the issue simply as a disagreement between political supporters, Gadaka's original remarks appeared to place party loyalty at the centre of a decision as serious as divorce.
That aspect of the statement became the main focus of criticism.
Remarks Made During 2027 Political Mobilisation
Gadaka's comments came as political parties intensify their preparations for the 2027 general election.
Across Nigeria, politicians and party organisations have been increasing their mobilisation activities, meeting supporters, receiving defectors and encouraging voters to identify with their preferred political parties.
Yobe, like many other states, has already begun witnessing political activities connected to the next election cycle.
The APC remains the governing party at the federal level, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seeking another term in office.
Consequently, state party leaders have been working to strengthen grassroots support and maintain the party's organisational advantage ahead of the presidential and other elections.
It was during one of these mobilisation activities that Gadaka made the statement that subsequently generated controversy.
Public Reaction to the Statement
The suggestion that women should leave their marriages because of political disagreement attracted criticism from members of the public.
Some residents considered the statement inappropriate, arguing that political leaders should encourage peaceful participation in elections rather than introduce partisan disagreements into marriages.
The comments also attracted concern from Islamic scholars and others who viewed the suggestion as provocative and potentially harmful to family relationships.
For critics, the problem was not simply the political preference being promoted.
Rather, they questioned whether a party official should encourage people to consider ending marriages because spouses disagree over political choices.
Political disagreement is common during election periods, particularly in a country as politically diverse as Nigeria.
Husbands and wives can support different political parties, just as members of the same family can hold completely different political opinions.
Critics therefore argued that political leaders have a responsibility to encourage peaceful coexistence and respect for individual voting decisions.
Gadaka Withdraws the Statement
Following the backlash, Gadaka issued a clarification in which he apologised and withdrew his earlier remarks.
He said his statement was intended as a joke and did not represent a genuine call for married women to divorce their husbands.
The APC chairman also said that he did not intend to encourage divorce among married couples.
He explained that his remarks were connected to a traditional joking relationship between his Ngamo community and the Kare-Kare-speaking people.
According to his explanation, the statement was therefore not intended to be understood literally.
He expressed regret over the controversy and formally withdrew the comment.
The apology has changed the immediate direction of the controversy, although the original statement continues to attract discussion because of its politically charged nature.
The Importance of Gadaka's Clarification
The subsequent apology is significant because the original remarks had already spread widely through social media.
Statements made during political rallies can reach audiences far beyond those physically present at the event, particularly when recordings are uploaded online.
A comment intended as humour or political banter can therefore acquire a completely different meaning when viewed outside the context in which it was originally made.
Gadaka's explanation suggests that this was what happened in this case.
By describing the remark as a joke rooted in a traditional relationship between communities, he attempted to separate the statement from any genuine intention to encourage marital separation.
He also made clear that he did not want the public to interpret his words as an endorsement of divorce.
Political Loyalty Versus Family Relationships
The controversy has raised a broader question about how far political mobilisation should go.
Nigeria's elections are highly competitive, and political parties regularly encourage supporters to demonstrate strong loyalty.
However, political affiliation does not necessarily follow family lines.
A husband may support one party while his wife supports another.
Parents and children can also hold different political opinions.
Friends, colleagues and neighbours may disagree about candidates without allowing those differences to destroy their relationships.
For this reason, calls for political participation are generally expected to respect the independence of voters.
The right to vote is an individual political right, and voters ultimately make their own decisions at the ballot box.
The controversy surrounding Gadaka's statement has therefore highlighted the sensitivity of using family relationships as part of political campaigning.
Women Are an Important Electoral Constituency
The incident also draws attention to the importance of women in Nigeria's electoral politics.
Women constitute a major part of the electorate and are frequently targeted by political parties during voter mobilisation.
Political parties often organise women-focused campaigns, meetings and mobilisation programmes because female voters can have a significant impact on election outcomes.
The APC and other political organisations are therefore likely to continue seeking strong support among women as the 2027 election approaches.
But the controversy illustrates the delicate balance politicians must maintain when attempting to mobilise voters.
Encouraging women to participate actively in politics can strengthen democratic engagement.
However, political mobilisation can become controversial when party loyalty is presented as more important than family relationships or when supporters feel pressured to adopt a particular political position.
Yobe's Political Importance
Yobe State occupies an important position in northern Nigerian politics.
The state has historically been a stronghold of the APC and its political leadership has maintained considerable influence in the region.
The party's organisation in Yobe is therefore significant to its broader electoral strategy.
Gadaka, as the state party chairman, plays a role in coordinating party activities and strengthening the APC's grassroots presence.
His responsibility includes mobilising supporters, managing party structures and helping prepare the organisation for elections.
That makes his public statements particularly significant because comments from a state party chairman can be interpreted as reflecting the broader political culture of the party, even when the individual later clarifies or withdraws them.
Political Rhetoric Is Becoming More Intense
The incident is also part of a wider pattern of increasingly intense political rhetoric as Nigeria approaches 2027.
Political actors across different parties have been making increasingly forceful statements as they attempt to consolidate their support bases.
The competition is expected to become even more intense as political parties settle on candidates, build alliances and begin more organised campaigns.
The presidential contest is already generating significant political activity, while state-level politicians are also positioning themselves for legislative and governorship contests.
In such an environment, remarks made at rallies can quickly become major political stories.
This places additional responsibility on political leaders to distinguish between legitimate campaign rhetoric, humour and statements that could be interpreted as threats, insults or calls for actions outside the political process.
The Role of Social Media
Social media played an important role in the spread of Gadaka's controversial remarks.
The original statement was captured on video and circulated beyond the gathering where it was made.
This demonstrates how political communication has changed in Nigeria.
A politician no longer needs to deliver a speech to a large national audience for a statement to become widely known.
A short video recorded at a local event can reach thousands or even millions of people within a short period.
The advantage is that politicians can communicate directly with voters.
The disadvantage is that comments made spontaneously at political events can also generate nationwide controversy before the speaker has an opportunity to explain the context.
Gadaka's subsequent apology demonstrates the difficulty political figures face when statements made in a local setting become part of a much larger national conversation.
Why the Apology Matters
Gadaka's decision to apologise and withdraw the statement means the political controversy now has two distinct stages.
The first was the original statement calling on women to consider divorce if their husbands prevented them from voting for the APC.
The second was his clarification that he had been joking and did not intend to encourage divorce.
Both developments are important to understanding the full story.
Reporting only the initial statement would leave out the fact that the politician subsequently rejected that interpretation.
Conversely, focusing only on the apology would overlook why the controversy began in the first place.
The complete picture is that Gadaka made a provocative remark during a political gathering, received significant criticism, and subsequently apologised and withdrew the statement.
The Broader Debate About Political Freedom
The incident also raises questions about political freedom within families.
In a democratic system, citizens should be able to support political parties according to their individual beliefs.
A person's political preference does not automatically have to be identical to that of a spouse, parent, sibling or friend.
The ability to disagree politically without violence or coercion is an important part of democratic culture.
Nigeria's political history has demonstrated repeatedly that elections can produce intense disagreements.
However, democratic participation requires that such disagreements be managed peacefully.
The ballot box, rather than threats or pressure within families, is ultimately where political choices should be expressed.
2027 Campaigns Will Test Political Discipline
As the 2027 election draws closer, political parties will face increasing pressure to maintain discipline among their members.
Party officials will be expected to mobilise voters while avoiding statements that could alienate important sections of the electorate.
This will be particularly important in areas where political, religious, ethnic and family relationships overlap.
A politician may make a statement intended to motivate supporters but inadvertently create controversy among voters who interpret the statement differently.
The ability to manage such situations quickly could become an important part of political communication in the coming election cycle.
Gadaka's Statement and the APC
Gadaka's remarks should also be viewed as the statement of a state-level party chairman rather than automatically treated as an official declaration of the APC's national position.
His subsequent apology further indicates that the comments were not intended to represent a formal party policy encouraging women to leave marriages because of political disagreements.
The distinction is important.
Political parties contain numerous officials, supporters and candidates, and individual statements do not necessarily represent the formal position of the entire organisation.
Gadaka's withdrawal of the comment provides further evidence that the statement should not be interpreted as an official APC policy on marriage or family relationships.
The Political Stakes Are Rising
The incident comes at a time when Nigerian politicians are already preparing for one of the country's most closely watched elections.
The 2027 presidential contest is expected to involve intense competition between the ruling party and opposition forces.
Political parties are seeking to strengthen their structures at ward, local government and state levels.
They are also working to attract defectors, expand membership and secure the support of influential community leaders.
In this environment, every political rally can become an opportunity to demonstrate strength.
But the controversy surrounding Gadaka's remarks shows that political mobilisation can also carry risks.
A statement intended to energise supporters can quickly become a source of criticism if it crosses sensitive social or cultural boundaries.
What Happens Next
With Gadaka having apologised and withdrawn his remarks, attention is likely to shift back toward the broader political activities of the APC in Yobe.
The party will continue preparing for the 2027 elections, while opposition parties are expected to intensify their own mobilisation.
For voters, however, the episode provides another reminder that political campaigns should ultimately be judged by policies, programmes and candidates rather than simply by the intensity of campaign rhetoric.
The central issues confronting Nigerians remain substantial, including the economy, security, employment, education, healthcare, infrastructure and the cost of living.
Those issues are likely to dominate the substantive debate as the election approaches.
A Controversial Remark That Quickly Became a National Debate
Muhammad Gadaka's statement may have originated at a local political gathering in Yobe, but its impact extended far beyond Nangere.
His original call for women to leave husbands who opposed their support for the APC generated criticism because it appeared to place partisan loyalty above marital relationships.
The subsequent apology has provided important context, with Gadaka saying the statement was a joke connected to a traditional form of banter between communities and insisting that he never intended to encourage divorce.
Nevertheless, the episode highlights the increasingly intense nature of political mobilisation ahead of Nigeria's 2027 elections.
As parties compete for votes, political leaders will have to navigate the line between energetic campaigning and rhetoric that can create unnecessary social tension.
For Gadaka, the controversy has already resulted in a public withdrawal and apology.
For Nigerian politics more broadly, the incident serves as another indication that the approach politicians take toward voters, families and political disagreements will remain under close scrutiny as the country moves toward the next general election.