Former Governor Aminu Tambuwal has announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to the African Democratic Congress.

“I write to formally tender my resignation as a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), effective from today,” the letter stated.

Mr Tambuwal stated that the party’s persistent internal crisis, leadership disagreements, and divisions at various levels made it difficult for him to continue his active participation and commitment as a member.

“The ongoing conflicts have, unfortunately, worsened the unity and direction that once defined the party,” the former Sokoto governor stated.

Meanwhile, in a statement on X on Thursday, Mr Tambuwal said he had officially joined the ADC with his associates and supporters.

“I am convinced that this decision is guided by my belief that Nigeria needs a stronger political platform built on integrity, accountability, inclusiveness, and a clear commitment to national development.

“I remain fully committed to the service of our country and to the ideals of democracy, justice, and national unity,” the former governor stated.

Some countries, including India, have reportedly declined to accept a number of ambassadors recently nominated by Bola Tinubu, citing diplomatic policies tied to the remaining tenure of the sending government.

Sources within Nigeria’s Presidency and the foreign service disclosed that India has a standing practice of not accepting ambassadors from administrations with less than two years left in office.

One of those affected is career diplomat Ambassador Muhammad Dahiru, who was nominated to serve in New Delhi.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the Asian country is exercising its discretion to delay or reject the request from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Dahiru’s acceptance.

“They don’t accept an ambassador from an administration that has less than two years in office. So they are giving us that body language already,” a Presidency source said.

The development follows earlier concerns that several of Tinubu’s ambassador-designates could face resistance from host countries due to the limited time left in the administration’s current tenure.

Under diplomatic protocol, countries must grant formal approval known as agrément before a nominated envoy can assume duties. Without this consent, ambassadors cannot be officially deployed.

Officials say while India’s position is the most explicit so far, other countries may adopt similar approaches, potentially delaying Nigeria’s plan to fully restore ambassadorial representation across its foreign missions.

Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga, Femi Otedola, and Abdulsamad Rabiu have been named among Africa’s richest individuals in 2026.

According to the latest Africa Billionaires ranking released by Forbes, Dangote retained his position as Africa’s richest man, with an estimated net worth of $28.5 billion. He added about $4.6 billion to his fortune over the past year, largely driven by the strong performance of Dangote Cement on the Nigerian Exchange Limited.

Telecommunications magnate Adenuga also retained his place among Africa’s billionaires.

The founder of Globacom and chairman of Conoil Producing remains one of Nigeria’s most influential entrepreneurs with diversified interests spanning telecoms, oil and gas, and banking.

Otedola, chairman of Geregu Power Plc, also featured on the list despite a slight dip in his wealth over the past year. Forbes estimates that the billionaire investor lost about $200 million following the sale of a majority stake in the power generation company at a discount to its market price.

The increase in Rabiu’s net worth was largely driven by the performance of BUA Cement, whose shares rose 135% over the past year, outperforming the broader rally on the Nigerian stock market.

The 23 billionaires on the continent are now worth a combined $126.7 billion, representing a 21% increase from 2025 after they collectively added $20.3 billion to their net worth.

Across the continent, billionaire fortunes were boosted by strong equity market performance, record corporate profits, and improving currency stability in several African economies.

South Africa remains the highest number of billionaires on the list, with seven individuals, followed by Egypt with five, Nigeria with four, and Morocco with three.

No female billionaires from Africa appeared on the 2026 ranking list.