Politics
N’Delta Youth Blast Kachikwu’s Detractors
The Niger Delta Youths Coalition for Peace and Progress (NDYCPP) says the recent laurels and honorary citizenships awarded to Dr Ibe Kachikwu are well deserved.
President of NDYCPP, Mr Tiedor Olayinka said in Yenagoa, last Saturday that the global honours had vindicated the group.
It would be recalled that Kachikwu, was last Thursday, conferred with multiple honours, including honorary citizenship of the State of Georgia in the United States.
Kachikwu was also conferred with honorary doctorate degree by the Trinity International University of Ambassadors, and Keys to the State of South Carolina and City of Stonecrest, State of Georgia.
The event, which held at the Capitol Hill of the state in Atlanta, also featured the declaration of October 25 as ‘Emmanuel Kachikwu Day’ by the State of South Carolina.
Olayinka, in a reaction to the development, urged those behind the smear campaign against Kachikwu to leave him alone to concentrate on his achievements.
“These feats buttress our initial claim that the man is an exceptional fellow, a quintessential scholar, a doyen in his field.
“This is the calibre of person an infinitesimal few want to blackmail. A prophet is not recognized in his community. The rejected stone that is now a chief corner stone, a gold fish has no hiding place.
“They say when you chase after a chic you’re encouraging it to spread wings and fly. Kachikwu is the first minister who has won the heart of the youths, elders, the ex-militants alike.
“He is an upright man that command enormous respect from the people. We won’t have any body, no matter how highly placed you are to discredit, rubbish his hard earned reputation,” Olayinka said.
Olayinka noted that it was an irony that Kachikwu, a man respected and acknowledged worldwide targeted by mediocre to rundown out of envy and warned that Niger Delta youths would no longer tolerate further attack on him.
“Enough is enough. Gone are those days when they insinuated that Niger Delta people do not love themselves, or will sacrifice their own on the altar of stipends and personal gains.
“We are a people so conscious of ourselves and our contribution towards the peace, unity and economic growth of this Nation. If we were fools before, we are no more. We know who are behind this evil orchestration.
“But our silence should not be mistaken for cowardice. This evil act could snowball to something catastrophic. Let the detractors behind those smear campaigns repent while it is still day.
“Leave Kachikwu alone. We won’t sit and fold our arms while our very own suffer untold hardship in that hands of evil men at the corridors of power. A stitch in time saves nine,” Olayinka said.
Austin Pade, Yenagoa
Politics
Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice
Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.
The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”
Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.
The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.
At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.
Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.
According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.
Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.
The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.
He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.
“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.
According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.
Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”
He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.
The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.