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Imo: Secondus, Obi, Others Lead PDP Protest In Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, reiterated its confidence in the possibility of the Supreme Court to reverse its decision on the Imo State governorship election.
The apex court, it would be recalled, had last week nullified the election of Emeka Ihedioha and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to issue a certificate of return to Senator Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Leading a peaceful protest across major flashpoints of Abuja, yesterday, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, said all the justices need to do was to review the judgment and correct “the error.”
Joined by prominent party members, including the party’s Vice Presidential candidate in the 2019 election, Mr. Peter Obi, former senator, Dino Melaye, former deputy speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara, among other top leaders of the party, Secondus said the protest was intended to draw the attention of the world on the need to safeguard democracy in the country.
The protest, which took off at the party’s Presidential Campaign Headquarters, also known as Legacy House, also took the protesters to the Three Arms Zone, amidst chants of solidarity songs.
The National Chairman of the PDP asked the justices of the Supreme Court to be magnanimous enough to accept the fact that they committed an error and should be ready to correct the error.
The party chairman advised the Executive arm of government to stop interfering in the judicial process as well as to stop interfering in official engagements of security agencies and the electoral body.
Secondus said, “We are a nation governed by law, therefore, all we are seeking today is for our very highly respected jurists at the highest court of the land to review the Imo judgment. We are not against you, we are against the error. And by the special grace of God, I know you will revisit the error.
“All we are saying is that for you to review this error because the figures are not adding up. We, therefore, call on the leadership of the judiciary, to please, we are all human. God is the highest.
“They should revisit and reverse the Imo judgement because we believe that the figures are not adding up. That is why we are here so that the world will hear us. We are a democratic nation, and therefore, all democratic nations of the world are hearing us – the United States, United Kingdom, even the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS.
“We believe that people at the highest court of the land will hear our cry today, and revisit, review, and if possible, reverse, the judgement. That is justice that will be done, not only to the people of Imo State but for Nigerians who are crying. This is time to show courage”.
Secondus commended party members for comporting themselves during the protest and ensuring that it was peaceful.
“The PDP is the most peaceful party, and the largest party and well organised party in Africa. I want to congratulate you all for coming from all the nooks and crannies of this country, peacefully to register our protest”, the chairman said.
A number of the party’s National Assembly members, former governors, and former federal legislators also participated in the protest.
There was however a mild drama during the protest when one of the open trucks conveying some of the protesters was said to have skipped off the road and fell on its side.
A few persons were said to have been injured in the accident, which the organisers described as a minor incidence.
On his part, Obi tasked APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to recall how he became governor a few years ago.
He said that but for an independent judiciary, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would not have been governor of Edo State for eight years.
Obi said himself and Oshiomhole were able to reclaim their stolen mandate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra and Edo states because the judiciary under the then PDP Presidency was neutral.
The PDP had denied Oshiomhole his governorship victory in Edo state in 2007, while Obi’s was stolen by the PDP in 2003, but their mandate was eventually restored by the Supreme Court. Oshiomhole was then in the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) while Obi was in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
Addressing a protest rally organised by the PDP in Abuja on Monday, Obi said himself and Oshiomhole would not have recovered their mandate if the Supreme Court at the time had been tele guided by the Executive arm, “as it’s being witnessed today under the present APC administration”.
The PDP had staged the protest against the apex court’s January 14 judgement which voided the election of Mr Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP as governor of Imo state and affirmed Senator Hope Uzodinma of the APC as replacement.
Describing the apex court’s judgment in the Imo case as injustice, Obi charged the APC administration to emulate the politics of magnanimity displayed by the PDP during its 16 years rein. He cautioned the APC against derailing the democratic process.
Obi said, “I am speaking here, not just as a leader of the PDP, but one of the beneficiaries of the PDP’s 16 years government of doing what is right.
“I was in a minority party, I won election and PDP did not intervene. I went to court, PDP did not intervene. I benefited from it.
“Adams Oshiomhole wouldn’t have been governor, he wouldn’t have been a beneficiary of the judiciary if the PDP did what APC is doing today. He benefited from it.
“So, as a beneficiary, I am appealing to the judiciary to save this country. What happened in Imo State is enough to kill our democracy. Let us ensure that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. My appeal to APC, is, please, do not kill this democracy”.
Also speaking, Minority Leader of the Senate, Enyinaya Abaribe said, “we have only one message to the Judiciary: if the figures don’t match, review.
But as the PDP was protesting, members of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has thronged the major roads off the popular Abuja Eagle Square and federal secretariat located in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja in protest of the alleged miscarriage of Justice perpetrated by the supreme court over the Imo guber appeal judgment.
The crow-pulling protest has also slowed down human and vehicular movements in the affected areas of the metropolis.
Addressing the party faithfuls, supporters and sympathisers, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said, “We believe that our big men will hear our cry today to revisit, review and reverse the judgment.
“It is a Justice not only to the people of Imo but Nigerians as a whole.
“This is the time to show courage. The Executive arm of government should stop interfering with the judiciary in its bid to deliver judgment.
“Police, DSS should stop interfering and preventing protesters from carrying out legitimate democratic practices and protest.
“What we want to correct is the ‘judicial malaria’ that took place last week.
“Protest obtains in all democratic environments all over the world”.
But no sooner the PDP speech ended than scores of hoodlums trooped out from unknown places, carrying banners in the name of supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
They chanted the anti-PDP songs which instilled the phobia of possible violence and mayhem and consequently scared and dispersed passers-by close to the protest ground.
Part of their placards reads, “The PDP wanted to buy judgment but they failed and resorted to anarchy”.
However, as at the time of filing this report, it was observed that despite the ensued tensions, there was no fracas or violent confrontations as envisaged.
Similarly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ebonyi State chapter, yesterday, blocked the entrance of the Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki as they protested along major streets of the state over the sack of the former governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha.
The party, however, gave the Nigerian Supreme Court 24 hours to reverse the judgement it delivered on the Imo State governorship election.
Speaking to journalists in Abakaliki, shortly after the protest, the South-East Zonal Chairman, Austin Umahi, said the declaration of Hope Uzodinma as the governor of Imo State was a rape of democracy.
Recall that the Supreme Court had last week sacked Governor Emeka Ihedioha of the PDP as Governor of Imo State, and declared Hope Uzodinma of APC as the winner of the election.
But, the judgement has been trailed by controversy and protest across the country.
However, the protest was carried out by over one thousands party faithful in the state, who marched around the city to protest what they described as injustice and a rape on the democracy in the country.
They were carrying placards with the following inscriptions “NJC must act now”, Imo Guber case: Supreme Court must revisit judgement, Ihedioha must return as Imo State governor, Save Democracy in Nigeria, Judiciary is now the lost hope of the common man,” et al.
They all wore black attire to signify that they were in a state of grief over the judgement.
According to Umahi, “We are giving them 24 hours to reverse the judgment or else Nigeria will never remain the same. If they don’t reverse the judgment, then democracy has been murdered in Nigeria,” he said.
Also responding, the state chairman of PDP, Barr. Onyekachi Nwabonyi, condemned the ruling by the apex court, adding that the judgment has turned the Judiciary, which is the last hope of the common man into a lost hope of the common man.
Also, the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party, joined its counterparts across the country to protest what it called unjust and unfair ruling of the Supreme Court on the governorship of Imo State.
The protesters numbering thousands marched through the major streets in Uyo, the state capital clad in black attire.
They were led by party leaders, state Chairman of PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, National Legal Adviser, Mr. Emmanuel Enoidem, and State Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong.
Speaking, Emmanuel Enoidem said the judgement of the Supreme Court is not known to law and lacks legal precedence and regretted that the Judiciary which is the last hope of the common man has been compromised.
He pointed out that the removal of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Onnoghen was part of the plot by the Buhari led administration to penetrate the Judiciary.
“On behalf of the body of PDP at the National, I stand here to say that Nigeria and Akwa Ibom State is mourning.
We handed over power to the APC in 2015 in compliance with democratic best practice and since that day, Nigeria moved into anarchy under the leadership of Buhari.
“In November 2019, Atiku Abubakar and the PDP lost a petition because the Supreme Court said the PDP had not brought enough witnesses to prove their case but turned around to uphold the election of Hope Uzodimma when there were no unit witnesses.
“Was it only Uzodimma that had the whole votes in those polling units they added for him? What were the votes of the PDP and other parties in those polling units? These questions need answers so we know where we are going as a country. The declaration of Uzodimma as governor of Imo state has no legal standing”, he said.
The Deputy Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Princess Felicia Bassey who spoke on behalf of the state legislators, said the Supreme Court judgement was a clear rape on our democracy.
The state party Chairman, in a statement earlier, Paul Ekpo said, the solidarity March was important because silence in the face of tyrannical occurrences may be interpreted as acquiescence.
“The March is to register our displeasure over the recent political robbery in Imo state, where the apex court strangely computed and announced results which are contradictory with the existing reality, in the Governorship elections which held in March 2019,” he said.
On his part, Chairman of ALGON, Mr Frank Archibong, who spoke for chairmen of the 31 local government councils in the state lamented, “When the Judiciary becomes compromised in a democratic dispensation, it means there is no hope for Nigerians”.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, said that it still stands by its declarations for the 2019 elections despite the Supreme Court judgments that reversed some of the election results declared by the commission.
The commission has recently come under severe criticism following the reversal of the Imo State governorship election by the apex court.
INEC in the Imo governorship election had declared the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Emeka Ihedioha winner with 273,404 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Hope Uzodinma who was returned by the Supreme as the authentic winner was placed fourth with 96,458 votes by INEC.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC National Chairman, Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, in a chat with newsmen, yesterday, stated that “once INEC makes a declaration, it stands by it”.
According to him, “the law provides for any aggrieved party or candidate to go to the Election Petitions Tribunal to contest a declared election result. Once INEC makes a declaration, it stands by it”.
Giving graphic detail of the conduct of the 2019 general elections, Oyekanmi, observed that, “a total of 807 post-election petitions were filed at the tribunals after the 2019 general election. Out of these, 582 were dismissed, 183 were withdrawn by the petitioners and 30 reruns were ordered.
“About 12 Certificates of Return have also been issued. When you consider the fact that elections were conducted into 1,558 constituencies for the 2019 general elections, you will agree with me that the overall elections have by far been credible, free and fair”.
On the use of university vice chancellors as returning officers for future elections, which has also been criticized, the commission disclosed that no decision has been reached whether to review the use of certain categories of academic staff of federal universities as returning officers.
It added that “while it is true that some of them made mistakes as human beings during the 2019 General Election, most of them performed excellently”.
On the January 25 rerun elections INEC revealed that, “our template for the conduct of elections has not changed since our actions are guided by the extant laws.
“The voting and declaration procedures have not changed. For instance, the Smart Card Readers will still be used and the “People’s Result Sheet” will still be pasted at a conspicuous place at the polling unit level where the rerun elections will take place. The Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) will also be used and it is fact compulsory. No PVC, no voting. Besides, the system of simultaneous accreditation and voting will also apply”.
“There is no proliferation of INEC sensitive materials and politicians do not have access to them. To be sure, our sensitive materials have special security features. If any politician is found with any sensitive material, it must be fake and such politician will be arrested and prosecuted.”
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”