The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yobe State, Muhammad Gadaka, has apologised for a controversial remark in which he urged women to divorce husbands who oppose their voting for the party in the 2027 elections.
Gadaka made the comment on Thursday during an APC rally in Nangere Local Government Area of the state, where he also pledged to marry any woman whose husband divorced her for supporting the ruling party.
Addressing party supporters in Hausa, the APC chairman said his political movement in the state had remained resilient over the years and that new members would eventually have opportunities to attain leadership positions.
“The prayers offered 20 years ago were powerful, which is why the movement has not collapsed,” Gadaka said.
He then told the gathering: “Tell your sister that if her husband does not agree and divorces her, I will pay her bride price and marry her.”
The comment generated backlash, prompting the Yobe APC chairman to issue an apology hours after the rally.
In a 43-second video, Gadaka said his words had been misunderstood and sought to explain the cultural context behind the remark.
He said the statement was made as a joke rooted in the traditional relationship between the Gamawa and Kare-Kare ethnic groups.
“My name is Muhammad Gadaka, and I am from the Fika local government area. As you may know, there is a traditional joking relationship between the Gamawa and Kare-Kare tribes,” he said.
Gadaka explained that the remark was made during a political programme held in Zone B of Nangere LGA.
“We recently organised a programme in zone B of the Nangere local government area,” he said.
The APC chairman, however, acknowledged the controversy generated by his words and apologised to those who took offence.
“However, my statement was misunderstood by the public. As a leader, I want to clarify that I reject that misunderstood statement, and I sincerely apologise to everyone,” he said.
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