Anti-APC voting: ‘It was only a joke’, Yobe chair makes u-turn

The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe state, Alhaji Muhammad Gadaka, has withdrawn his controversial statement urging married women to leave their husbands if they were prevented from voting for the ruling party in the 2027 general elections.

Gadaka, who also reportedly offered to pay the bride price and marry any woman who left her marriage over her support for the APC, apologised to the public following the backlash generated by the remark. Blueprint reports

In a 42-second video shared on Facebook by the Director-General, Press and Media Affairs to Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, Mamman Mohammed, the APC chairman said his earlier comment was merely a joke and did not reflect his position on marriage.

“I withdraw my earlier statement that any woman whose husband prevents her from voting for the APC should end her marriage and that I would marry her. I apologise to the public; I only said it as a joke.”

Controversial remark at defection event

Gadaka had made the initial comment on Thursday while addressing hundreds of people who defected to the APC in Nangere town, as the party intensifies grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.

During the gathering, the Yobe APC chairman reportedly told married women that they should leave their husbands if the men attempted to prevent them from voting for the APC.

He was also reported to have pledged to pay the “new bride price” of any woman who ended her marriage because of her political allegiance to the party.

The comments quickly gained traction after a video of the event circulated on social media, triggering reactions from members of the public and religious commentators.

Reports said some residents and Islamic scholars criticised the statement as provocative and inappropriate, particularly because it appeared to place political allegiance above marital and family relationships.

Gadaka explains his intention

However, in his subsequent video, Gadaka sought to distance himself from any interpretation that he was genuinely encouraging women to divorce their husbands because of political differences.

He described the remark as a form of “joking banter” and said it had been misconstrued.

According to him, the statement was rooted in what he described as an age-old practice of teasing between his Ngamo people and the Kare-Kare-speaking community.

“My statement was just a usual joking banter and does not in any way represent the ideals I stand for or intended to encourage divorce among married people,” he said.

He subsequently offered an apology and formally withdrew the statement.

“I offer apologies for my statement, and I hereby withdraw it,” the chairman added.

Backlash follows viral video

The controversy surrounding Gadaka’s comment came after the video of his remarks circulated widely, with several reports highlighting the portion in which he appeared to encourage women to leave marriages if their husbands opposed their decision to vote for the APC.

The comments attracted particular attention because they came from the chairman of a major political party at the state level and were made during a political mobilisation exercise ahead of the 2027 elections.

Critics questioned the appropriateness of a political leader linking marital relationships to voting preferences, while others argued that political differences should not be allowed to create tension within families.

The reaction also reflected the sensitivity of the issue in Yobe, where religious, cultural and family values occupy an important place in public life.

Political mobilisation ahead of 2027

Gadaka’s original statement was made against the backdrop of increasing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the APC and other political parties stepping up efforts to expand their support bases across communities.

The Nangere event was part of the APC’s grassroots mobilisation efforts, with hundreds of people reportedly joining the ruling party.

The 2027 elections are expected to generate intense political competition as parties seek to consolidate their structures and attract new members, particularly at the grassroots.

Political leaders have consequently been using rallies, defections and community engagements to strengthen their parties ahead of the polls.

Against this backdrop, Gadaka’s remarks quickly became a subject of political discussion, with the controversy overshadowing the defection event itself.

Chairman says comment does not represent APC position

With his subsequent withdrawal, Gadaka made clear that the controversial comment should not be interpreted as an official position of the APC or as a policy encouraging women to dissolve their marriages because of political disagreements.

Reports on his apology indicate that he specifically stressed that the comment did not represent the ideals he stood for and was not intended to encourage divorce.

The clarification came amid mounting criticism and calls for greater restraint from political leaders when addressing sensitive social and religious issues during political campaigns.

Retraction expected to calm controversy

Gadaka’s decision to withdraw the statement and apologise has now shifted the focus from the original remarks to his explanation that they were made in jest.

The Yobe APC chairman’s clarification is likely to ease some of the criticism generated by the comment, particularly among those who interpreted the statement literally.

Nevertheless, the episode has highlighted the potential consequences of political rhetoric during the build-up to elections, especially when campaign messages touch on marriage, religion and family relationships.

For now, Gadaka has formally withdrawn the remark, insisting that he never intended to encourage married women to divorce their husbands over political differences and describing his earlier comments as nothing more than a joke.