Yobe APC Chairman Sparks Outrage: Tells Women to Divorce Husbands Over Voting Choices!
Yobe State APC chairman, Muhammad Gadaka, sparked controversy by urging married women to divorce husbands who prevent them from voting for the party, even offering to pay dowries. Amid widespread criticism, Gadaka apologized and withdrew the comment, clarifying it was a joke. This incident follows a similar controversial statement from a Borno State APC Commissioner.
Muhammad Gadaka, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe State, recently ignited a storm of controversy following remarks made at a campaign rally in Nangere. Gadaka controversially urged married women whose husbands obstructed their ability to vote for the APC to seek a divorce, going as far as offering to cover their dowries. This statement, intended to bolster support for the party, quickly drew widespread condemnation.
Residents and Islamic scholars were among the first to voice their disapproval, describing Gadaka's comments as both reckless and provocative. Critics warned that such statements had the potential to undermine long-held family values within the community. The backlash was swift and significant, prompting Gadaka to retract his statement.
In response to the public outcry, Gadaka issued an apology and withdrew the controversial remark. A video shared on the Facebook page of Abdullahi Bego, Yobe State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Information and Culture, captured Gadaka's explanation. He clarified that his comment had been misconstrued, asserting that it was merely a joke and not meant to encourage marital dissolution. "My statement was just a joke and does not in any way represent the ideals I stand for or intended to encourage divorce among married people. I offer apologies for my statement, and I hereby withdraw it," Gadaka stated.
This incident in Yobe State is not isolated. It follows closely on the heels of another controversy involving a prominent APC official. Days prior, Sainna Buba, the Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, also faced criticism for threatening to flog individuals who refused to support the APC in the upcoming 2027 election. Both incidents highlight a pattern of controversial rhetoric from party officials during political campaigns.