The Military Widows Association of Nigeria (MIWA), Kebbi State chapter, is divided over its leadership following the emergence of a new executive.
The former State Coordinator of MIWA, Hajiya Asma’u Kanoma, rejected the new leadership, alleging that the Nigerian Legion dissolved the existing executive and conducted an election without constitutional authority.
However, the Nigerian Legion, Kebbi State Council, dismissed the allegation, saying the election was conducted in line with a directive from its national leadership and supervised by relevant authorities.
The State Chairman of the Legion, Alhaji Ahmed Shehu-Matawalle, made this known on Tuesday at a press briefing in Birnin Kebbi.
Shehu-Matawalle said the national leadership of the Nigerian Legion had summoned MIWA and Legion executives from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to Abuja to discuss the restructuring of the associations.
He said the meeting resulted in a directive to dissolve the existing MIWA state executives and conduct fresh elections across the states.
“The leadership of the Nigerian Legion summoned all 36 state executives and the FCT representatives of MIWA and the Nigerian Legion to converge in Abuja for a meeting to restructure the associations,” he said.
Shehu-Matawalle said the Kebbi election was held on June 18, 2026, under the supervision of the Nigerian Legion and the Kebbi State Government.
According to him, the former MIWA leadership participated in the election but failed to win, leading to the emergence of Hajiya Maryam Garba as the new State Coordinator.
Other officials elected were Aisha Sani-Ibrahim as Assistant Coordinator and Jummai Bango as Secretary.
The Legion chairman said there was no imposition of leadership, urging MIWA members and other stakeholders to accept the outcome of the election.
“There was no imposition of leadership. The new executives emerged through an election conducted at the state level in accordance with the directive of the national leadership,” he said.
Kanoma, however, maintained that MIWA was an independent national association with its own constitution and leadership structure.
“The Nigerian Legion has no constitutional power to dissolve our executive or conduct elections for us,” Kanoma had said.
She said the national leadership of MIWA had written to the Chairman of the Nigerian Legion, seeking the cancellation of the election and recognition of the existing executive.
Kanoma also appealed to the Kebbi State Government and relevant authorities to intervene in the dispute.
The disagreement has left the former leadership rejecting the June 18 election, while the newly elected executive has the backing of the Kebbi State Council of the Nigerian Legion.
Kebbi military widows, Nigerian Legion disagree over new leadership