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Category: Politics

  • Group urges Fubara to obey Appeal Court ruling on Rivers Assembly

    Group urges Fubara to obey Appeal Court ruling on Rivers Assembly

    The Rivers Restoration Movement (RRM), an interest group, has called on Gov. Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers to comply with the Court of Appeal’s judgement on the 2024 budget.

    Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday, RRM Secretary, Mrs Sarima Akpata, stated that Fubara’s  decision to withdraw his appeal at the Supreme Court effectively validated the ruling of the Appellate Court.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that in October 2023, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the 2024 Rivers budget, which had been passed by pro-Fubara lawmakers.

    The court further ordered the governor to re-present the budget to the House of Assembly led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, which it recognised as the legitimate legislative body.

    Fubara had initially challenged this ruling at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, but a three-judge panel led by justice Joseph Oyewole unanimously upheld the lower court’s decision.

    Still dissatisfied with the judgements, Fubara proceeded to the Supreme Court but later withdrew his appeal, arguing that subsequent events had rendered the case irrelevant.

    Acting on this withdrawal, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal and ordered Fubara to pay N4 million in costs to the Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.

    Akpata stated that Fubara’s withdrawal effectively affirmed both the Federal High Court and Court of Appeal’s ruling, which recognised Amaewhule as the authentic Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly.

    “Gov. Fubara’s withdrawal from the case has given full legal effect to Justice Omotosho’s Judgement, which ruled in favour of the Martin Amaewhule-led 27-member House of Assembly,” she said.

    She further noted that the Court of Appeal had explicitly declared the 2024 budget illegal, arguing that the three-member Assembly led by Oko Jumbo does not exist in law.

    Akpata urged Amaewhule and the other 26 lawmakers to assert their authority as the legally recognised lawmakers.

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    She also criticised what she described as the deliberate misinterpretation and blatant disregard of valid court rulings by Fubara’s appointees.

    “Despite the court’s ruling, Gov. Fubara went ahead to appoint members of the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission, who were screened by the Jumbo-led Assembly – an act that directly violates the judgement.

    “The governor’ action is unprecedented level of judicial defiance, considering that the withdrawal of a case at the Supreme Court should have automatically upheld the Appellate Court’s decision.

    “The big question is this: if Gov. Fubara has immunity, do his aides who openly disobey court rulings also enjoy the same immunity by the law,” Akpata asked.

    She urged President Bola Tinubu, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, senior legal luminaries, and the international community to intervene in upholding the rule of law and defend Nigeria’s democracy.

    Akpata further called on the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to enforce the law, particularly the court ruling that affirms the legality of the Amaewhule-led Assembly.

    “We stand in solidarity with the legitimate Amaewhule-led lawmakers to ensure that those who violate court orders are held accountable.

    “Nigeria operates under a constitutional democracy, and the law must be upheld,” Akpata concluded

  • Why Atiku, Wike weren’t before us — PDP disciplinary committee

    Why Atiku, Wike weren’t before us — PDP disciplinary committee

    ABUJA—The National Disciplinary Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said its mandate affects only persons who have petitions against them.

    Chairman of the committee, Chief Tom Ikimi, said this while answering questions from journalists in Abuja yesterday.

    He was asked if the committee was dealing with cases of alleged anti-party activists by party leaders from as far back as 2015.

    Names of high-profile party leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senator Bukola Saraki and Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike, have been linked to such activities, which led to PDP’s successive losses in elections between 2015 and 2023.

    Ikimi, who was flanked by ten members of the committee including Chief Eyitayo Jegede, Patrick Ifo and two ex-governors, Ibrahim Shekarau and Sam Egwu, took time to explain that the panel’s jurisdiction wasn’t restricted to the 2023 polls.

    He said: “Whether acts were committed against the party in 2015, 2019, 2020 or any other year, we can do nothing about them, except there are petitions sent to this committee. This committee does not write petitions, we only attend to petitions that are sent to us.

    “So, if there’s no petition against somebody, we are not going to do anything about it because that is not our business. I’m not out here to write petitions or deal with what is seen in newspapers.”

    He explained that the committee was prepared to take the testimonies from former Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, and embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, but noted that both could not appear.

    “Last week Wednesday, we went through the various petitions before us and two petitions were slated for hearing today; one petition was against the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the other against some members of the party from Benue State, including former governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, and ten others.

    “We were prepared to hear the petition today (yesterday), the petitions were served on them directly and through courier and we have evidence that the petitions arrived at their destinations.

    ‘’However, we could not proceed due to correspondences received from these two persons we were supposed to meet.

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    “Former Secretary, Senator Anyanwu, sent us a letter indicating that he was not well and that he had medical challenges, and a medical appointment for today; he backed that up with a letter from his hospital and his doctor, so he, therefore, asked for another date.

    “In the case of Samuel Ortom and others, they claimed that they had not received the petitions which were sent to them but the petitions were sent and we have evidence that they were sent to them.

    “However, the committee has met and because we believe that we should give everyone fair hearing and that we should not ignore issues like health challenges, we have decided to the defer the hearing by another two to three weeks so that they will assure that they received the petitions sent to them.

    “So, we have deferred the hearing to March 4; we believe all will be well and the committee is going to be fair to everyone.”

  • NANS elections: 52-year-old aspirant disqualified

    NANS elections: 52-year-old aspirant disqualified

    A presidential aspirant in the coming national convention of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Prince Maiphebn, who gave his age as 52, has been disqualified from contesting the election.

    This is just as 15 other aspirants have been cleared for the post by the Independent Convention Planning Committee (ICPC), set up by the student body.

    The results of the screening exercise were made known on Wednesday night in a statement signed by the chairman, Prince Koyoyo, and secretary, Comrade Adio Friday, (NANS ICPC 2025).

    Maiphebn, from the University of Jos, whose matriculation number read PGLAW/UJ/00190/10, confirmed to have been admitted into the university in the year 2010/2011 academic session and was expected to have graduated in the 2012/2013 session.

    The statement read, “The Independent Convention Planning Committee (ICPC) of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has officially released its screening report for the upcoming national convention slated for February 23rd-27th, 2025, at Old Parade Ground, Abuja.

    “After a thorough vetting process, 15 aspirants including Ansaku Shedrack from University of Abuja, Atiku Abubakar Isa from Abubakar Audu University, Ayingba, Righteous Aondowas from NSUK Keffi, Maiyaki Isaq Mohammed from Federal University of Technology, Minna, Benjamin Daoupam from Plateau State Polytechnic, Agada Noah from Federal University, Lokoja, Yusuf Umar From Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Gambo Abubakar Mohammed from IBB University Lapai, Godia T Adam from NSUK Keffi, Eve Dominic from BSU Makurdi, Olushola Oladoja from University of Jos, Salahudeen Suleiman From University of Abuja, Musa Mosses Atah NSUK Keffi, Jeremaih Friday, BSU Makurdi and Mamud Abubakar from KWASU, Malete have been cleared to contest, while Prince Maiphebn (52 years old) from University of Jos, whose Matriculation number read PGLAW/UJ/00190/10, confirmed to have been admitted into the University in year 2010/2011 academic session and expected to have graduated in 2012/2013 was disqualified.

    “Abbah Owocho from BSU Makurdi and 4 other aspirants have also been disqualified for failing to meet the genuine studentship criteria.

    “The screening exercise, conducted in line with NANS constitutional provisions, aimed to ensure that only bona fide students participate in the election, upholding the integrity of the association.”

  • Falana clarifies court ruling on Rivers Assembly crisis

    Falana clarifies court ruling on Rivers Assembly crisis

    Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has explained that the Supreme Court verdict on the appeal by Rivers State governor Siminalayi Fubara against Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly has nothing to do with who is the authentic Speaker of the House.

    Falana said this on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, February 10, 2025, following the Supreme Court dismissal of the appeal filed by the governor.

    “When an appeal is dismissed not on merit but on the basis of withdrawal by the appellant, the question of celebration doesn’t arise. What happened in this case is that the governor of Rivers State instructed his lawyers to withdraw the appeal on the grounds that it has become an academic exercise.

    “In other words, the issues are no longer alive and therefore, why do you want to waste the time of the court? It wasn’t contrary to what a colleague was saying; the court did not determine who is a speaker or who is not a speaker, no, it didn’t come up,” Falana said.

    According to Falana, the 2024 budget proposal, which was the issue that led to the appeal, has already been passed into law and there was no need to continue litigation.

    It would be recalled that a five-man panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Uwani Abba-Aji had dismissed the appeal against the Amaewhule-led group, hinging it on the withdrawal of the suit by Fubara’s counsel, Yusuf Ali.

    The Rivers State Assembly crisis started in 2023 when over 25 lawmakers loyal to former governor Nyesom Wike dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Amaewhule’s leadership of the House was then contested by lawmakers in a rival group led by Victor Oko-Jumbo, a three-member faction believed to be loyal to Fubara.

    Since then, Fubara has been transacting the state’s business with the Oko-Jumbo group, ignoring the Amaewhule faction.

    However, Falana explained that three members of the state House of Assembly can carry out legislative functions except when it comes to impeaching the governor.

    He insisted that the 27 PDP lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly who decamped to the APC lost their seats because they were declared vacant.

  • Anambra 2025: Veteran aspirants move to stop Soludo with APC

    Anambra 2025: Veteran aspirants move to stop Soludo with APC

    With the date for the Anambra State governorship election fixed for November 8, 2025,  horse trading has already begun among politicians that have declared interest in taking over Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s job by March 17, 2026.

    In the last one month, many politicians have joined the race, particularly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    Federal might

    While some of the aspirants are hoping that the so-called federal might would apply to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, others believe that Governor Chukwuma Soludo has not done enough to deserve reelection.

    Insecurity

    Essentially, they have made insecurity in the state a campaign issue as they use every available opportunity to blame the state government for the kidnappings and activities of gunmen that still hold sway in parts of the state.

    APGA’s optimism

    However,  the ruling party appears not deterred as government is seriously working to impress voters in the coming election. Officials of the ruling APGA are optimistic that with Governor Soludo’s strides in infrastructure development, particularly in road construction, the people of Anambra State will vote for his reelection.

    Soludo’s achievements

    APGA officials are quick to point at the rehabilitation of urban roads in Awka and Onitsha, the Amansea – Ndiukwuenu- Ufuma road,  the Amansea – Awba Ofemili road, the flyover linking Ifite road, as well as the ambitious Amawbia – Agulu – Ekwulobia road dualization with a massive flyover at Ekwulobia roundabout.

    Zoning arrangement

    Indeed, the main plank of the APGA campaign is the zoning arrangement, which was introduced by the party during the administration of former Governor Peter Obi.

    The argument in the state is that zoning has given the three senatorial districts the opportunity to produce the governor by a deliberate rotation. That was why after Peter Obi, who is from Anambra Central, the governorship went to Willie Obiano from Anambra North, who after his eight years, handed over to Professor Soludo(Anambra South), who will be completing his first tenure next year. Since the electioneering history of Anambra State, no governor from Anambra South has done two terms. Late Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeife did less than three years in the botched Third Republic. In the Fourth Republic, late Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju did one term. The People’s Democratic Party, PDP, denied him reelection ticket, and when he ran on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, he lost.

    No zoning in APC

    However, the APC has insisted that it does not have such zoning arrangement, which is why aspirants from the party have emerged from all the three zones. According to APC, APGA shouts zoning when it suits it, recalling that the same APGA members from other zones presented themselves for the governorship when it

    ought to leave it for a particular zone.

    It is therefore not surprising that APC aspirants are from Anambra Central, Anambra South, and Anambra North. Those in the governorship race on the APC platform include Sir Paul Chukwuma from Umueri in Anambra East LGA in Anambra North; Professor Obiora Okonkwo, chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, from Anambra Central; Chief Chukwuma Umeoji from Ezinifite Aguata in Anambra South and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu from Osumenyi also from Anambra South.

    Sir Paul Chukwuma

    Chukwuma is a foundation member of APC and was the party’s former national auditor. He was among those who declared interest in the race and he has been hosting many APC stakeholders to brief them on his ambition. While some people argue that the position should be left for Anambra South to complete the eight – year tenure in line with the ongoing zoning arrangement in the state, Chukwuma has consistently argued that the so-called zoning is an internal arrangement of APGA as there was never a time the people of Anambra State met to decide on zoning.

    “My desire is to rebuild our dear state, which has gone to wrong hands. The rule of law has broken down and we cannot allow this to continue. My number one plan for the state is to bring back security.”

    “They promised us Dubai – Taiwan, but they can’t even give us Abakaliki or Owerri or Umuahia,” Chukwuma said in an interview.

    Professor Obiora Okonkwo

    Professor Okonkwo is also among those who have been supporting APC even from the days of Action Congress, AC. He contributed in the electoral success of Senator Chris Ngige who represented Anambra Central and also produced the winners for House of Representatives for Idemili North and South, as well as the member of the state House of Assembly for Idemili North. During the last election, he was coasting to victory at the PDP, primary until the delegates list was was allegedly manipulated. He later vied on the platform of Zenith Labour Party, ZLP,

    While addressing stakeholders in his Ogidi, Idemili North LGA country home, Okonkwo said people should not be deceived about zoning as it is a ploy to stop him from contsting..

    “I have made this decision as a proud son of Anambra State, driven by a deep sense of responsibility, to contribute my quota to the development of our beloved state. This is a decision I have made after deep reflection, extensive consultations with stakeholders, and a profound desire to serve.

    “Anambra is a land of limitless potential, blessed with some of the brightest minds, the most industrious entrepreneurs, and the most resilient people in Nigeria. But for too long, our great state has not lived up to its full promise.

    “We have watched with concern as opportunities have been lost, governance has fallen short of expectations, and the pains and horror of insecurity have left our people living in the bondage of fear. Today, our people earnestly cry for real security and progress.

    “I step forward because I believe Anambra deserves the best. I believe that, together, we can build a state

    that truly works for everyone; a state where governance is about service to the people and not to self; a state where opportunities are created, and where prosperity is shared by all.

    “As I step forward, I make bold to say that this is not just about a campaign; rather, this is a movement to reclaim our state from stagnation and place it on the path of sustainable development. However, I cannot do it alone. I need your support, your ideas, your participation, and your prayers.

    “Together, we can make Anambra a shining example of excellence and good governance. Together, we can re-write the story of Anambra state. Together, we can reclaim Anambra from insecurity and return it to its pre-eminent place in the history of our country.

    “My vision on this movement is clear: ours is to build an Anambra that is prosperous, secure, and globally competitive; an Anambra that harnesses the potential of its people and resources to become the economic powerhouse of the Southeast. An Anambra that gives its children the freedom to develop and become what God has planned out for them.”

    Hon Chukwuma Umeoji

    Umeoji is another aspirant on the platform of APC. He was a former member of the House of Representatives, as well as chairman of Aguata LGA for many years.

    He was a member of Edozie Njoku’s faction of APGA, until the recent ruling by the Supreme Court that threw away Njoku’s claim to the leadership of APGA. If Njoku had succeeded in being the national chairman of APGA, Umeoji would naturally have become the candidate of APGA for the November 8 governorship election in Anambra.

    Coming from the same Aguata LGA as the incumbent Governor Soludo, the permutation within APC is that should he secure the ticket of the party, he would split the votes in Anambra South senatorial zone, while hoping to get bloc votes from Anambra Central and Noth.

    Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu

    Ukachukwu is from  Osumenyi also in Anambra South. He was rumoured to be the favourite to secure the APGA ticket if Edozie Njoku had remained relevant. In fact, he was said to be the power behind Edozie Njoku financially and when that project failed, he moved to APC. His entry into APC has suddenly invigorated the party that was more or less moribund after the last governorship election.

    During his recent visit to the state headquarters of APC,  Ukachukwu donated N30 million to the state executive and N600,000 to the 21 local government chairmen, a development that has brought life into the party. He made that donation after another aspirant, Obiora Okonkwo, had earlier donated N20 million to the state executive and N300,000 to each of the local government chairman.

    As these aspirants mobilize the delegates for the April 5 primaries of the party, the question being asked in the state is whether the ticket would go to the highest bidder.

    Incidentally, the four APC aspirants are financially loaded and they appear to be prepared to outdo one another if the major determinant would be money.

    However, there are other behind the scene factors that could play major role deciding the APC candidate for the election.One of these is the influence of the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, who it was gathered, is supporting a candidate from Anambra South against the desire of many stakeholders of the party.

  • PDP Crisis: Call Atiku, Wike to order or we lose all in 2027 – Bode George

    PDP Crisis: Call Atiku, Wike to order or we lose all in 2027 – Bode George

    CHIEF Bode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in this interview, wants two of the main actors in the crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former VP Atiku Abubakar and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyeson Wike, to be called to order now, or else the party loses all in the 2027 general elections.

    George, a top leader of the PDP in Lagos State, also speaks on the ‘madness” in the state chapter of the party, saying “they are paying for working for President Tinubu”, among other issues in the polity. Excerpts:

    Can you share your thoughts on this latest crisis in your party?

    I was part of the (PDP BOT) meeting because I was able to join them via zoom. And I have always stated that when you have a problem, if you don’t arrest it on time, it will become cancerous. It will almost consume everybody. I believe the stage in which we are, whatever is happening between the two secretaries, Samuel Anyanwu and a former National Youth Leader of the party, is a reflection of the lackluster approach to solving this problem. I was disgusted.

    I was ashamed that this kind of crisis would get to a crescendo where our public image as a party was being eroded. It was a show of shame, very disgraceful. But I thank the members of the Board of Trustees because those of us who were online, somehow when the free-for-all started, when people were punching themselves and misbehaving, they just cut us off. So we didn’t see it again. But my take is simply this, the contentious matter is the young man, I don’t remember his name, a former Youth Leader who is now acting

    Secretary of the party. He went to the Court of Appeal and the court gave him judgment that he was right to take over the position of the National Secretary. And the National Secretary, Anyanwu, now went to another Court of Appeal that said status quo ante bellum be maintained. It looks highly depressing and very disgusting when you look at the party, a formidable institution, a party that is like an Iroko tree in this country, being decimated because of personal ambition. It bothers some of us that started right from 1998. I have said that resolving this crisis at the midpoint doesn’t make any political sense.

    Let us set up a committee and I’ve made my views known to the BoT. As the Board of Trustees, the custodian of the laws and the regulations, the liabilities and the assets of the party, we must be able to set up a committee to do in-depth analysis. What happened? You don’t solve a problem by starting midpoint and thinking, “oh, you can cover up the other one and you can do this”. All sides to me now, all sides of the divide are making us so angry. And what we were saying is to avoid a terrible public image of our party. People have started saying, “Oh, your party is dead”.

    We say, “No, the party is not dead”. We can disagree without being disagreeable. We should be able to rise above this pettiness. What happened in that National Convention was the beginning of the crisis and, to date, all sides are still very deep in their trenches, firing salvo. It’s not going to help this country. And the national interest of the party must be much higher than the personal interest of any individual. And no individual can ever be bigger than the party. Let these managers rise above this. Let’s call a spade a spade. It’s drifting, and we are drifting very badly, like a rudderless ship. I will remain consistent in my argument. We must go to the beginning of this madness so that it will never repeat itself. And I am happy that the members of the Board of Trustees, the elders of the party, the custodians were there. But the good thing there was that they were able to manage the crisis. If we do not rise above that pettiness, it will expand. And this is

    2025. By the middle of this year, (2027) politics will start. And we keep blaming the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    “It is Nyesom Wike. It is this”. What has it got to do with the price of milk? Let’s get inside and sort ourselves out without mincing words. Nobody, no individual is bigger than the party. And the party is not a private enterprise of anybody. The essence of having the Board of Trustees, the upper chamber of the party, is to be able to sort out crises when they occur. That’s why in the BoT, we don’t do elections. People are appointed based on their experience, their contributions, their knowledge, and their standing in the public. So you heard what the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, was saying, that there are some leaders too that are covertly intervening on the side of A or side B. No, please.

    For me, we have to set up a proper committee that would extricate the mess that started on that Convention Day. And we sort it out. Anybody guilty of any serious offences must be dealt with. It is not a private concern. And we have no apologies. If you are a member of an organization, there are rules and regulations of what you should do. So, follow it. If you can’t follow the regulations, and you think you can manoeuvre A or B for your sustenance, then we ease you out.

    The BoT has already set up a committee led by Taminu Turaki to investigate what transpired. Senator Adolphus Wabara (BoT Chairman) is talking about unity and discipline within the party. What do you make of what former VP Atiku Abubakar said that the APC is trying to destabilize the opposition party, harass and intimidate people?

    Let me be very clear here, I was there (at the BoT meeting), not physically, but I was there. I joined that meeting via zoom. At the point that I joined, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees was still making his speech, so I wasn’t too late to join. So I was there from the beginning. Now, we got cut off by the time somebody physically pushed the young man.

    I don’t remember his name. He was the National Youth Leader of the party. They were physically pushing him out, and I was raving with anger here. Because what on earth was going on, are we Agberos? With the experience, the age, and the commitment that we had had from the beginning of the establishment of this political party, it was disgraceful.

    And my concern, and I must state it, had been that, look, we have to be careful because of the public image this will send. If you want to be a winner in a political setting in any nation, your public image is very

    Important. Now, what are these people trying to achieve? If people are looking at us and saying, “can you trust this party?” Look at – you mean there is no – we don’t have any open crisis in APC? Of course, they do have.

    They have never held any meeting, no National Executive Committee meeting. Abdullahi Ganduje, who is the Chairman, has been imposed, no meeting, no National Executive Committee meeting. So, it is not only us. But for God’s sake, we can resolve our own. Throwing tantrums and pushing issues, they say, “Oh, it’s the APC that is doing this, the APC that is doing that”.

    We’re just trying to undermine the issue. We must sit down. All sides, as I have stated, all sides of the divide, both Atiku and Wike, we must be bold enough to tell them enough of this nonsense. The committee set up now is just to look at the legal implications. As I said to you, Anyanwu is saying, yes, there was a judgment that gave a ruling in favour of the former Youth Leader who is claiming to be the National Secretary of the party. And Anyanwu went to another Court of Appeal and said the Court of Appeal said, you know, status quo ante bellum be maintained.

    Now, what is the status quo ante bellum? People are saying, yes, it is the status quo established by the Court of Appeal that gave positive judgment to the former Youth Leader. And that Anyanwu, if he wanted to do anything, should have gone to the higher court, which is the Supreme Court.

    You said Atiku and Wike committed hara-kiri. I’m using your words. I can understand where you’re coming from about Atiku Abubakar but Wike is your man. You were together in the G5 Unity Group. So, which hara-kiri did Nyesom Wike commit and have you fallen out with him?

    Let me be very clear with you. In the beginning, I said we could not wash our dirty linens in public. If you have a family meeting in your house, do you go to the marketplace to start undressing yourselves? I am a bona fide, committed, dedicated and faithful member of this party. It would be unpardonable for me to do that. If we have to appear before a constituted party committee, I would expose everything to them. But if I love this party, it is not the public domain that we open up ourselves. And that is why I don’t want to make any comments now. I am not a member of anything. At the initial time I was there, I took sides because I was disgusted with what they did at the National Convention.

    If I tell you the role I played in going with A or B, you will know. But it’s not for me to say to the public. And that was what angered me. And when I got to the other side, and I saw what they were doing, I told them to calm down. If you are not going to calm down, I will not come back. And I’m not a member of either of them. Never. That ceased a long time ago.

    You appear to also be part of those who committed hara-kiri, sir, because we saw how you supported Wike and how you said Atiku was a problem. What changed?

    This is a misunderstanding. Let me now explain to you. At this age, on the eighth floor of life, do you think I will be involved with a load of nonsense? Something happened at that National Convention, and I was completely disgusted with what was going on. And, listen, I have said it often that I made my move based on the fundamentals that established this political party.

    Why did you stop supporting what Wike was fighting for then?

    No, I am not supporting anybody and that’s what I’m explaining to you. Listen, I had a meeting with Atiku. And I spent six hours with Ayu in his house in Abuja. He didn’t do what is right. And he was insisting (he was right). I said, “OK, if you, Ayu, made a statement publicly that per adventure, the presidential candidate comes from the North, you will resign”… And when the presidential candidate emerged from the North, he refused to resign.

    I said “what are you talking about?” He said he had four years. I went to his house to convince him. Then I called Atiku. I said, “Look, talk to your brother. They are disrupting this system. That is not the way the

    founding fathers set it (PDP) up. If we did that to you as southerners, would you accept it?” Never. And what is not good is not good, no matter where you belong. You must have the fear of God in whatever you are doing. That was where I disagreed with them. And I moved out. Then the Wike people came and said they were trying to resolve it. I joined the meeting. They made me a leader.

    We sat down. In the end, they said, OK, now we had two presidential candidates from the South. I said “so?” They said, “Look, they believe that Bola Tinubu is the better person”. I said, “if you go out of this meeting and you talk about it outside there, I will counter you. You guys have no idea who this gentleman is. He has ruled my state. We know his modus operandi.

    You don’t have any idea”. That was where we parted. It’s not a matter of jumping ship and looking for laurels. No. Since that day before the election, we parted ways. This is the truth. Why should I be (with Wike and co)? What am I looking for now that I will not be able to look at you in your face and tell you the truth?

    How much faith do you have in the Tanimu Turaki Committee to douse the flames currently engulfing the PDP? Does he have your support?

    Now, the important thing is this. The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, the cases presented before the BoT was that the young man, the incoming National Secretary had gone to the court to get a judgment. That is the bona fide National Secretary. Okay. Now, Anyanwu went to another Court of Appeal, and the Court of Appeal that he went to stated that status quo ante bellum be sustained. Now, what our Chairman is stating

    is, “Look, let this issue be examined.

    The legal issue, the status quo ante bellum stated by the second Court of Appeal. What is the interpretation?” That is all this young man, this lawyer (Taminu), because he’s a SAN, is going to examine. That’s all. Once he comes around to say that the former Youth Leader should assume office as National secretary, Anyanwu should back off. If I want to tell you to analyze what Anyanwu did, he was wrong, absolutely wrong. You wanted to contest for governorship position, and it is the Secretary and the National Chairman who will normally sign off on all candidates going to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and you signed yourself in. How could you?

    What is the future of the PDP and what is the guarantee that the PDP will be a winning party in Nigeria and Lagos, your state, in 2027?

    Let me tell you, and I’m happy I have the opportunity to state emphatically that the problem in Lagos is not something that I created. There are too many external factors that come into play here in Lagos. I keep telling them to allow everybody to hold on to his house.

    You cannot know my house more than me. It started with Atiku trying to control here and there. How can they know my house more than me? That has been the madness in Lagos and you saw that they have been working for Bola Tinubu here in Lagos.

    They are paying the price now and I told them that this last election would be my last battle before I take my leave. Any external intervention, we will resist it, we will prevent it and we will fight; even if it means we are going to decimate the party, so be it.

    They keep causing crisis in the party and come around to blame Bode George, how could you blame me?

  • Gov. Yusuf appoints new SSG

    Gov. Yusuf appoints new SSG

    Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, has over the weekend, appointed new Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Umar Farouk Ibrahim.

    The appointment was announced in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature.

    The Governor said Ibrahim’s appointment takes effect from Monday, February 10, 2025.

    Recalled that Governor Yusuf had sometimes in December last year, sacked the former SSG, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi on health ground.

    According to the statement, Governor Yusuf expressed confidence that Ibrahim’s appointment would significantly contribute to realizing his administration’s vision for Kano State, emphasizing the importance of experienced leadership in steering the state toward sustained development and growth.

    “Umar Farouk Ibrahim was selected based on his extensive experience and expertise, which are expected to play a vital role in advancing the administration’s development agenda and keeping the state on track with its goals.

    “Ibrahim brings over three decades of distinguished public service to his new role.

    “His career in the civil service, spanning from 1987 to 2023, has been marked by key leadership positions that significantly contributed to the governance and administrative structure of Kano State.

    “From March 2001 to May 2015, Ibrahim served as the Permanent Secretary for Research, Evaluation, and Political Affairs in the Office of the Secretary to the State Government.

    “In this capacity, he was instrumental in analyzing key policy options, advising the government on viable alternatives, and overseeing the implementation of these policies across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

    “Following this, from June 2015 to March 2016, Ibrahim held the position of Permanent Secretary for the Administration and General Services Directorate.

    “His tenure in this role showcased his strong leadership and administrative skills. Notably, he served as acting Secretary to the State Government during annual leaves in 2013 and 2014, underscoring the trust and confidence placed in him by the state leadership.

    “In addition to his formal roles, Ibrahim served as Secretary for several high-profile committees, including the Coordinating Committee on Independent Power (2012-2015), the Committee on the Identification and Sale of Government Property (GP Houses) in 2012, and the State Payroll Standing Committee (2000-2004).

    “His early career also saw him play pivotal roles in community and educational reforms, such as his position as Secretary of the Inter-Community/Religious Consultative Forum in 1998 and the Committee on the Review of the Operations of the Agency for Mass Education in 1994.

    “Mr. Ibrahim obtained a B.Sc. in Political Science from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University in 1985, followed by several professional certificates that further enriched his qualifications.

    “As a seasoned administrator and retired Permanent Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim is expected to bring a wealth of knowledge, strategic insight, and a commitment to excellence in his new role as SSG.

    “His appointment is seen as a strategic move to strengthen the administrative framework of the current government and facilitate the effective execution of its policies and programs,” the statement however reads.

  • No borrowing: Lagos targets increased IGR to fund 2025 budget

    No borrowing: Lagos targets increased IGR to fund 2025 budget

    Lagos State Government has expressed confidence that it may not borrow but boost Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, to finance its ambitious ₦3.367trillion budget for 2025.

    The state’s Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ope George and his counterpart, Commissioner for Finance, Abayomi Oluyomi, stated this at a press briefing to analyze the year 2025 budget, held at the Press Center, Alausa Ikeja.

    The duo stressed that the state government has implemented strategic plans to generate more revenue to cover its budget deficit.

    Here is a breakdown of the N3.366 trillion of the 2025 budget, which, according to the Commissioner, would be funded from a total revenue estimate of N2.968 trillion, comprising Internally Generated Revenue (IGR): N2.230 trillion, Capital Receipts: N111.839 billion and Federal Transfer: N626.137 billion.

    The target revenue of N2.968 trillion represents a monthly revenue target of M247.331 billion.

    George explained that the Lagos Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, is expected to contribute 63 percent (N1.4 Trillion) of the projected IGR, while other Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and MDAs will generate about 37 percent (N830.177 billion).

    According to him, the target would be achieved by deepening revenue and increasing the tax net by deploying technology, economic intelligence, data gathering and analysis, among other initiatives.

    “We believe huge revenue-generating opportunities exist in the informal sector, tourism, real estate, transportation, and trade.

    “The deficit of ₦398.662bn is projected to be funded by Internal, External Loans, Bond Issuance and others,” George stated.

    According to the Commissioner, the deficit funding Sources Provided are External Loans, N28.751 billion; Internal Loans, N203.831 Billion; Bond Issuance, N150.000 billion; and others, N16.080 billion.

    A total expenditure of ₦3.367 trillion is budgeted for 2025, broken down as follows: Recurrent Expenditure N1.296trillion, Capital Expenditure N2.071trillion Capital to Recurrent ratio N62:38 billion.

    The Recurring Expenditure component is as follows: Total Personnel Costs, N401.120 billion; total overhead costs, N799.511 billion; and debt charges, M95.000 billion.

    The Recurrent Expenditures accounted for 38 percent of the total budget, with the Personnel Cost at N401.120 billion representing 12 percent of the total Recurrent Expenditures.

    The Personnel Cost in Y2025 increased by N146.003 billion compared to Y2024. “ The increase is a reflection on the State’s commitment to implement the salary increment to cushion the effect of high inflation and the removal of fuel subsidy,” he stated.

    On the other hand, Capital Expenditure accounts for 62 percent of the total budget size. “This demonstrates the administration’s commitment to massive infrastructure renewal and development as well as completion of ongoing projects,” George stated.

    The Sectoral allocations are as follows: General Public Services N398,368,579,418, Public Order and Safety N91,472,518,204, Economic Affairs N162,467,077,787 Environment N 75,842,862,616, Housing and Community Amenities N26,000,691,418, Health N173,847,292,450, Recreation, Culture and Religion N37,782,405,139, Education N166,310,716,148, and Social Protection N32,805,054,933.

    Highlights on Infrastructure Development across five divisions include the following: Construction of Samuel Ekundayo /Toga Road, Badagry; construction of Abaranje Road, Alimosho; construction of Adamo-Akanun-Agunfoye Lugbusi Roads, Ikorodu; construction/Rehabilitation of Roads in Ikeja GRA (Oba Dosunmu Road,

    Sasegbon Street, Sobo Arobiodu Street e.t.c

    Others include the rehabilitation/Upgrading of the Lekki-Epe Expressway: Phase IIA (18.600 km); completion of the Abule Egba and Ajah Bus Terminals; construction of Iyana-Ipaja Bus Terminals; construction of the Opebi Link bridge to Maryland that will significantly improve travel time and alternative route options the axis; rehabilitation/Upgrading of Eti-Osa Lekki-Epe Expressway Project from Eleko T-Junction–Abraham Adesanya. ( Phase II); construction of Lekki-Epe Airport Road and construction of Omu Creek Road.

    Urban renewal/technical studies on 4th Mainland Bridge; construction of Lagos Badagry Expressway; dualization of Ojo Road/Baale Adeyemi, Ojo; construction of Lekki/Epe(Orisa) Bridge and approach road and construction of second phase of Lagos Rail Mass Transit System (LRMT) from mile 2 to Okokomaiko.

    ‘’In addition, the development of the 68km Green Line rail from Marina to the Lekki Free Trade Zone. Completion of 13 new jetties across the state and the upgrade works ongoing at existing jetties.

    ‘’Completion of the Stadia in Ikorodu, Badagry, Epe, Ifako-Ijaye, Ketu, Ibeju-Lekki, Sari Iganmu and Ajeromi to facilitate youth development and community sports and construction of National Youths Service Corps, NYSC Camp (Permanent Site).

    ‘’Provision of Housing Units across IBILE to transform lives and build a resilient and thriving State. (Completion of 444 units of building Projects at Sangotedo Phase II, 420 units of building Projects at Ajara-Badagry, And 136 units of building Projects at Ibeshe II and Epe. Construction of Egan Phase II and III, among others.),” he stated.

    George stressed that “The ‘Budget of Sustainability’ is not just a fiscal document; it’s structured around

    providing economic stability, environmental stewardship and social equity to ensure that Lagos continues to thrive sustainably for future generations.

    “The Y2025 Budget emphasizes five key pillars: infrastructure and environmental sustainability, Economic diversification, Social inclusion and Human Capital Development, Governance and institutional reforms.”

  • 2027 Realignment: New move spells out role for Atiku, Obi, el-Rufai, Kwankwaso

    2027 Realignment: New move spells out role for Atiku, Obi, el-Rufai, Kwankwaso

    The 2027 general elections are about two years away and the realignment of forces to dislodge the All Progressives Congress (APC) from power, especially at the federal level appears to be on the upswing.

    In an interview published by Sunday Vanguard, last week, a former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, spoke about the inroads his party was making into the North in search of new political allies, hinting that the SDP leadership had met top politicians from that part of the country, including former Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, for talks.

    In another development, a former top member of the APC, Alhaji Salihu Lukman, speaks of similar efforts gathering steam. Lukman, a former Deputy National Chairman of the APC (North), in an interview monitored on Arise News, elaborates on his scheme, saying key opposition figures in the country have a role to play as they have to jettison their presidential aspirations ahead of the 2027 and provide leadership for a new political party to confront the APC.

    He urges former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who flew the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential flag in the 2023 elections, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the elections, Mr Peter Obi, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, standard bearer, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, to prioritize party building over personal ambitions.

    Lukman, who has since quit the APC, also extends the advice to former party members and opposition figures, including Mr Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State but later served as Transportation Minister under the Buhari administration; El-Rufai; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, a former governor of Ekiti State, and Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, a former governor of Sokoto State.

    According to Lukman, who was also one-time Director General of the Progressive Governors Forum, if these

    leaders set aside personal ambitions, it will prevent the imposition of candidates in 2027 and foster a stronger political alternative. Excerpts:

    You have been a key member of the APC, now you are saying Nigeria needs better leaders. What are your grievances? What do you think is wrong with the APC that you are asking all the critics and opponents of the administration to come together and push the same party out of power?

    What is wrong with the APC is what is wrong with Nigeria in my view, and I think the view of most Nigerians is that our democracy should give something much better than what we have today. I am not making any new proposals.

    If you have been following the debate during the merger negotiations that produced the APC, all these arguments have been raised about the kind of leadership a political party should have and what is required for a party to really position itself to direct elected representatives to meet the expectations of citizens. If we argue that APC has failed, the failure of APC is largely due to its inability to meet a number of some of those criteria.

    Yes, I was a member of the NWC of the APC, I was part and parcel of the APC from formation to possibly the present day but that does not disqualify some of us from highlighting some of the limitations of the APC and I think in terms of the problem of democracy, what was first the problem of Nigeria with PDP that led to the defeat of PDP in 2015? The major issue is that there was no competition within the party.

    The culture of imposition has taken over the party so much so that it is predictable anybody who has close relationship with Abuja, with the Presidency can pick ticket at any level of the party without bothering to contract relationships with other members of the party, and I think that those were some of the issues that we used to campaign against the PDP and made the APC popular and Nigerians trusted us and believed that we were capable of producing a party that could drive the process of changing Nigeria which was the campaign mantra in 2015.

    Unfortunately, I am not shy to say that we failed largely because we ended up with another variant of PDP, the culture of imposition took over.

    Yes, we fought and this is part of my grievance with President Tínubu. Asiwaju knew very well that we stood up and faced what you call the cabal in the Presidency under former President Buhari and ensured that a level-playing field was provided within the party which enabled him to win the ticket and become the presidential candidate of the party.

    So, having done that, our expectation was that we return the party to its founding vision and begin to build a party that can now implement all the campaign promises and direct all elected representatives but instead, what we see is that a more superior variant of imposition took over so much so that the party became a parastatal of the Presidency, and of the government.

    Leadership of the party cannot say anything contrary to what the President wants and so long as that is the case, we can’t make progress. Now, coming back to some of the issues which you highlighted which I raised in the last piece, is basically like an appeal to our opposition leaders (Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso, Amaechi, Fayemi, El-Rufai, Tambuwal, among others) because if we continue to play politics the old way, then Nigeria

    is not going to get any better. We are not going to produce better leaders.

    We will produce a new set of leaders which may continue the practice of imposition and become emperors so much so that everybody is now rushing to them to access favours in government and what have you and that is not what democracy should be about. I think one of the most important things that came out of the conference that was held last week was the statement by the former Vice President of Ghana and also a former presidential candidate.

    He made the point that politicians must be able to subordinate their personal ambition to the bigger interest of the country and I think that is where we are today and, as far as I’m concerned, if that is the case and several time, I hear people lamenting about how in the Second Republic we had an NPN (National Party of Nigeria) where the president, when it comes to party meeting, is an ordinary member and Chief Augustus Akinloye, who was the party Chairman, was the leader of the party.

    Now if we are going to get back to that, it’s not going to be after the election and after defeating Tínubu and producing a president with that mentality. It’s now that we should begin to align ourselves and ensure that in the whole campaign to defeat APC, we are not replicating exactly the mistake APC has made.

    We must tell all leaders to first drop their ambitions and, in dropping their ambitions they must also be ready to make the needed sacrifice, to commit to building the party. If your strategy is all about let’s have a party and, after having a party we will ensure that we impose our surrogates to become leaders of the party, then we are going back to square one.

    I think Nigerians should begin to watch and when they see some of these leaders taking positions in the

    party, that should give them confidence that, yes this is a new party and it’s a serious business. It is going to depart from the old ways and to that extent, therefore, the prospect of meeting the expectation of citizens will be high; other than that, I think we may just be deceiving ourselves and Nigerians and imagining that we can produce anything better.

    You’re talking about how the previous or past leaders are part of the problems that we currently have and why those responsible for the failures should be humble enough to take a backseat in an effort to build a strong coalition to strengthen Nigerian politics. What if they are not ready to take a back seat, what other alternative would you propose?

    First, I will say that it’s not a question of trying to get rid of the old guards, no. I think, fundamentally, my view and I have said that, several times, that what we have now made it only possible for leaders to show their bad side and that the only way to push leaders to put their best side, their right foot in the business of leadership will be to create the framework, strengthen the structures of political parties that will subordinate them and make them accountable.

    I have said so several times that from former president Jonathan to Buhari and now Tínubu, I believe under a different condition they may turn out to be better leaders. Unfortunately, they also contribute to a situation where they turn out the way they did. So, if we are going to depart from that, which is why I’m saying, first and foremost, we must build a political party that everybody will subordinate themselves.

    It’s possible. I give you for instance, if Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and many others can subordinate themselves and go through competitive primary… because part of the problem, is that a number of them, were not able to develop the kind of relationship that will enable them to access even good advice, you know, the strategy is basically that I want you to subordinate yourself to me but once you turn it the other way around they may turn out to be better leaders.

    Sincerely speaking, I think we should not beg the question; Nigeria deserves much better and current leaders must answer the question: What is their vision for the country? Is their vision for the country only to become president of Nigeria? We have seen that with Buhari and we have seen it now with Tínubu.

    They have become presidents, they have achieved their vision and, in the end, it’s debatable whether they are any better in terms of public standing. My appeal and my prayer is that within our lifetime we’ll be able to produce leaders who will work for the country, and on the basis that citizens who love them, and generations to come will continue to remember them.

    But you knew that President Tínubu had the conviction of “I just want to be president” when you supported the APC in the last election. Now you are talking about idealism, would you expect anything different from him?

    Well, I will continue to debate all these issues. Yes, I supported President Tínubu; however, whether I am aware his ambition was just to become president, I can say publicly that I had the conviction that Tínubu is truly a progressive politician and a democrat and which was why I invested my support for him but I didn’t wait once I saw he was departing from those beliefs I had; I didn’t wait any longer and I was not pushed by anybody.

    In fact, if anything, most of the criticism I received today is people telling me that it’s a mistake for me to have resigned, that I should have waited to fight inside. I mean, I could have only waited to compromise myself and become part of the establishment and become part of the physical structure of APC and, at the end of the day, damage myself.

    I am humble enough to admit that yes, my judgment was wrong and I said it’s a challenge to President Tínubu to prove many of us wrong and if he did that, I will be the first to come out and apologize publicly and say again I was wrong, but to the extent that he continues arrogantly in the direction he’s going without remorse, that he has departed from all the promises he has made to Nigerians, I have no apology to him.

    I’ll continue to stand and campaign against both the APC and its administration but in doing that, which leads me to your second question, life is about making choices.

    I will not shy away from making a choice simply because I made mistakes in the past. I’ll continue to make choices with my eyes wide open so as not to repeat past mistakes, which is why today I am standing where I am engaging all our political leaders in a direction all of them also should not put themselves in the line of repeating the same old mistake previous leaders have made. We are all human, nobody is perfect.

    They may have made mistakes in the past but to the extent that they are able to admit that the old ways are wrong and come and work together to produce a new reality which will now begin to push them to show their good side, I will have no problem and I think as Nigerians, we must have confidence that we can be able to get things right.

  • PDP Crisis: They want me out because of Wike — Anyanwu

    PDP Crisis: They want me out because of Wike — Anyanwu

    The embattled National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has revealed that certain party leaders were hell-bent on forcing him out of office because of his insistence on due process, respect for the rule of law and his long-standing relationship with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

    Anyanwu told Sunday Vanguard that some of the party’s leaders from his zone (South East) consider him a stumbling block to their political ambitions, part of which include taking over the party structure.

    He said, “I was validly nominated and elected as National Secretary of this great party at a national convention and our constitution clearly spells out how a person occupying positions in the National Working Committee can be replaced if the need arises.

    “I took time off to contest for the governorship of my state and the Deputy National Secretary acted while I was away. Our constitution gives me the power to delegate functions to my deputy.

    “It was strange that while I was campaigning, some people went as far as forging documents by illegally altering our party guidelines and inserted a clause which is not in the original document to say I must resign. The police are investigating, I won’t say much on that.”

    “Everybody knows my relationship with (Chief Nyesom) Wike. We were local government chairmen and members of the PDP, I cannot deny him.”

    Anyanwu accused some of the party’s governors of working in cohorts with a section of the Board of Trustees (BoT) in pursuit of an agenda to weaken the party for selfish gains.

    He noted that the advice of both bodies that Sunday Udeh-Okoye be immediately sworn in as the substantive National Secretary, following a Court of Appeal judgement was simply “a proxy war.”

    The PDP Governors Forum had during their monthly meeting in Asaba, Delta State, endorsed Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary.

    They based their decision on an Enugu Court of Appeal judgment recognizing Udeh-Okoye as the bonafide occupant of the position.

    The BoT soon followed with their support for the position taken by the governors.
    Members of the BoT took their decision after adopting the report of a committee they had set up to examine the claims being made by both Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye.

    The committee which was chaired by. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), recommended that Udeh-Okoye be sworn in immediately based on the court judgment.