Politics
Amaechi Mourns Former NUJ President
The news of the successful hosting of the national convention of the nation’s rising opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) was fouled last week by Federal Government’s directive to bar Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and two other governors from Kano and Edo States from participating in the final mega guber rally of the party in Ekiti State.
News of the arrest of the governor filtered in on Thursday afternoon after Amaechi was held by soldiers at Odudu, outskirts of Ondo State on his way back to Akure Airport. It was also learnt that his chattered airplane was also grounded.
Shortly after, the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari addressed journalists in the state with the call on the federal government to ensure that the governor was not hurt in the process.
Semenitari warned against the dangers of infringing on the constitutional rights of the governor in moving freely and associating freely.
Also, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) through its chairman, Hon Oji Ngofa, described the actions of the security agents as “imprisonment of Rivers people”, saying the governor is the symbol of Rivers State and should not be shabbily treated.
Ngofa who is also the CTC chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, hinted of plans to institute legal suit to get redress in court, while lampooning the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of plans to rig last Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State.
In response to the development, Human Rights Advocate and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falami has urged Governor Amaechi to seek legal address over the harassment he suffered in the hands of security agents last Thursday in Ekiti State.
But before the ugly incident on Thursday, the governor returned to the state on Tuesday and on Wednesday, the weekly State Executive Council meeting was convened with Governor Amaechi presiding.
The executive meeting ended in the evening and both Commissioner for Information and Communications and her counterpart from Youth Development, Hon Owene Wonodi addressed pressmen on decisions so far reached.
Wonodi disclosed plans by the state government to send a delegation of youths to the United States for an Exchange Programme that will attract young people into agriculture.
The foreign exchange programme which is a partnership between the state government and the United States Agency for International Development will take the youths to the University of Arkansas. They will also visit Mississipi and New Orleans to gather knowledge in modern agriculture production.
Mrs Semenitari informed State House correspondents that the meeting would continue on Monday (today) when more information will be made available on other policies and programmes endorsed by the council.
On Friday, members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) were struck with bad news over the sudden demise of the former President of the body, Mr Ndagene Akwu. Before he became the National President of the NUJ, Mr Akwu was one time chairman of the State Council of the union.
Shortly after the news of Mr Akwu’s death was announced, Governor Amaechi sent a delegation to deceased’s family home for a condolence visit. The State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mrs Ibim Semenitari led the delegation that comprised the Managers of Radio Rivers, Rivers State Television and other ministry officials.
She said, “I am here on behalf of His Excellency, Governor Rotimi Amaechi. He was highly distraught when he heard about the loss of the former President of the NUJ, a true Rivers son. He asked me to come and express his condolence and that of Rivers people to the family of Ndagene Akwu.
“His Excellency is not around, if not, he would have been here in person. He wanted the family to know that this is a loss to Rivers State because as you know, Ndagene today is the only Rivers man who has been President of the NUJ. Therefore, this is a loss for us as Rivers people and it’s a loss to the union. And His Excellency has asked me to tell journalists that this loss is the one that he feels very deeply and will be extremely supportive in our work and Rivers State will stand behind the family through the trying period”.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.
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