Keffi LG Chair Sacks Secretary over Insubordination, alleged backing of E-IGP Adamu
…..Nasarawa politics heats up as Dr. Moskolo’s social media posts spark query, termination amid 2027 zoning battle
In a dramatic move that has sent shockwaves through the political circles of Nasarawa State, the Executive Chairman of Keffi Local Government Area, Dr. Idris Ahmed Damagani, has unceremoniously sacked Dr. Ibrahim Bala, popularly known as Moskolo, from his position as Council Secretary.
The termination, announced via an official letter dated February 4, 2026, and signed by the Council’s Director of Administration and Personnel Management (DPM), Usman Zubairu Egya, cites insubordination and failure to respond adequately to a query over inflammatory social media utterances made on January 11, 2026.
Sources within the council revealed that the decision followed days of intense deliberations, underscoring the deepening fault lines within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial elections.
Eyewitnesses at the council secretariat described a tense atmosphere, with staff whispering about the sacking as a clear message to party loyalists perceived to be undermining the status quo.
The offending letter, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, paints a grim picture of Moskolo’s alleged transgressions, describing his online comments as “unethical, worrisome, and capable of truncating peaceful coexistence” not only in Keffi but across Nasarawa West Senatorial District and the APC at both local and state levels.
It further accuses the ex-secretary of showing “disrespect to constituted authority, elders, and stakeholders,” labeling his actions as “unbearable” and a direct affront to the party’s hierarchy.
Investigative findings by this reporter indicate that the query was issued promptly after Moskolo’s posts went viral on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, where he openly criticized what he called an “imposed zoning agenda” favouring a select few.
Council insiders claim the posts amassed thousands of views within hours, fueling debates on governance and equity in Nasarawa politics, and prompting swift intervention from Damagani to restore order.
Dr. Ibrahim Bala Moskolo, a respected Estate Surveyor and Valuer with over two decades of professional experience, had been appointed Council Secretary months ago, bringing his expertise in land valuation to bear on local development projects.
However, his recent political activism appears to have been his undoing.
Multiple sources confirmed that Moskolo threw his weight behind former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, a heavyweight APC chieftain from Lafia, Nasarawa Southern District, who is positioning himself for the party’s gubernatorial ticket in 2027.
This endorsement came in the form of vocal social media defenses and public statements, where Moskolo argued for a “level playing ground for all aspirants” rather than what he termed a “self-serving zoning formula.”
Adamu, who hails from the Southern zone, has been quietly building alliances, leveraging his national stature from his tenure as IGP between 2019 and 2021, but his ambition has ruffled feathers among party godfathers.
At the heart of this controversy lies the fierce zoning agitation orchestrated by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the first Executive Governor of Nasarawa State (1999-2003) and former National Chairman of the APC.
The 82-year-old political colossus, representing Nasarawa West, has been championing a rotational governorship formula within the zone to ensure equity after Governor Abdullahi Sule’s tenure from the neighbouring Nasarawa North.
https://radionigeria.gov.ng/2026/02/05/tinubu-deploys-army-to-kwara-after-worro-killings/
Adamu’s camp insists that the next governor must emerge from Nasarawa West’s underrepresented areas, a stance that directly clashes with Adamu’s perceived backing of select candidates.
Our investigations reveal private meetings in Lafia and Abuja where Adamu rallied stakeholders, including traditional rulers and APC executives, to enforce the zoning policy.
Moskolo’s utterances, insiders say, were seen as a direct challenge to this arrangement, accusing it of sidelining the majority while basic amenities like potable water, electricity, and roads remain elusive in Keffi and surrounding communities.
The sacking has ignited a firestorm of reactions across Nasarawa State, with APC youths in Keffi hailing Damagani’s decisive action as a “blow to anti-party elements,” while opposition voices from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) decry it as “political witch-hunting.”
Comrade Yusuf Ahmadu, a PDP stalwart in Keffi, told our reporter: “This is tyranny disguised as discipline; Moskolo spoke truth to power about how zoning has become a tool for the elite.” On the flip side, APC loyalists like Hon. Fatima Usman, a councilor, defended the move, stating, “Disrespecting elders like Sen. Adamu undermines our party’s unity; Damagani did what any leader must do.”
Delving deeper into the political calculus, Nasarawa West’s zoning debate traces back to the 2023 elections, where Governor Sule’s re-election from Nasarawa North sparked murmurs of marginalization.
Senator Adamu’s influence remains unmatched; as APC National Chairman until 2023, he played a pivotal role in President Bola Tinubu’s victory and continues to wield sway in the North-Central zone.
Ex-IGP Adamu’s camp, however, counters that zoning should not be rigid, pointing to his track record in security and federal connections as assets for Nasarawa’s development.
Moskolo’s alignment with Adamu reportedly began at a Keffi town hall in December 2025, where he lamented the state’s infrastructure deficits, pot-holed roads, erratic power supply, and youth unemployment rates hovering above 40 percent, per National Bureau of Statistics data.
His sacking, critics argue, exposes the fragility of local government autonomy under party pressures.
Dr. Damagani, a medical doctor turned politician elected in 2024 on the APC platform, has positioned himself as a no-nonsense administrator focused on projects like the ongoing Keffi market rehabilitation and rural electrification.
Sources close to him reveal the sacking was not impulsive but followed consultations with Sen. Adamu and state APC executives.
“The chairman values loyalty and stability; Moskolo’s posts risked derailing council programmes and party harmony,” one aide confided. Yet, questions linger about the timing: Why issue a query on utterances from January 11, and terminate barely a month later?
Opposition researchers are already digging into potential queries against Damagani himself, amid whispers of his own 2027 ambitions.
Will Moskolo’s dismissal silence dissenters, or ignite a revolt against perceived godfatherism?
Stakeholders urge dialogue, with a scheduled APC stakeholders’ meeting in Lafia this weekend expected to address the fallout.
For now, Keffi’s council chambers remain a battleground, mirroring the larger struggle for Nasarawa’s political soul, where basic amenities hang in the balance amid elite power plays.
