Politics
Jonathan, Others Present At Diri’s S’ Court Victory Thanksgiving

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience, governors of Bauchi, Akwa Ibom and Oyo were among dignitaries at the special victory thanksgiving of the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, in Yenagoa on Saturday.
The event which held at the 15,000-seater Ecumenical Centre to commemorate the February 13, 2020 Supreme Court verdict that ushered in Senator Diri as governor of the state as well as the first anniversary of his administration also had in attendance the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Niger Delta, Senator Ita Enang, National President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, General Overseer, The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, Pastor Lazarus Muoka among other clerics.
Immediate past governor of the state, Senator Seriake Dickson, was represented by a former Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Kemela Okara.
Speaking at the event, Governor Diri expressed appreciation to God for the miracle that brought him to office, saying he would forever remain grateful and committed to the service of the state.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted him as also thanking the judiciary, particularly the Supreme Court Justices for their courage in delivering such a landmark judgement.
Diri said the Justices proved that the judiciary remained the last hope of the common man.
He equally appreciated all those who stood by him after the election and before the apexc ourt ruling, especially Senator Dickson, Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel and his Oyo counterpart, Seyi Makinde.
The state helmsman urged people of the state to always exude love and embrace one another irrespective of party affiliations, stressing that the development of the state was bigger than any group or individual consideration.
“They say the judiciary is the last hope of the common man. For us, the judiciary was our last hope. We thank all those who contributed one way or another toward ensuring our victory”, he said.
“Let me again urge Bayelsans not to see those in APC as enemies. Today they are there but tomorrow they might be in PDP. As I speak, many of our brothers in the APC are returning to the PDP”, he added.
Former President Jonathan, in his goodwill message, urged politicians to see politics as a means of developing the people and not warfare.
The former Nigerian leader stressed that at the end of every political contest, politicians should sheathe their swords and work with the winner.
He commended Diri for his non-discriminatory style of politics, which he said has seen him embrace everybody, regardless of political leanings.
He also called for support from people of the state to enable the Diri administration succeed.
“My message today is that those of us in politics should learn to play politics as politics and not war. At the end of the process, let us come together and support whoever emerges winner’, the ex-president said.
In their goodwill messages, Governors Seyi Makinde, Udom Emmanuel and Senator Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State as well as Prince Secondus all commended Governor Diri for his strides in office and expressed confidence that he would transform the state while calling on Bayelsans to rally round him.
Delivering a sermon on the topic: “It is The Lord’s Doing,” Pastor Lazarus Muoka described Diri’s emergence as divine.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells,Yenagoa
Politics
Reps Constitution Review Committee Holds Zonal Hearing For Rivers, C’River, Akwa Ibom In Calabar

A press statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Cross River State Governor, Mr Linus Obogo, disclosed that the Calabar Centre — designated as Centre B — will host representatives and stakeholders from Cross River, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom States.
The public hearing is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Transcorp (Metropolitan) Hotel, Calabar.
The initiative, according to the statement, is designed to promote inclusive dialogue and capture the aspirations of Nigerians from all regions.
It aims to serve as a platform for citizens to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing national efforts to refine and strengthen the country’s legal and institutional frameworks.
“Citizens, civil society groups, professional bodies, traditional rulers, and other interest blocs are invited to participate in this landmark engagement aimed at advancing a more just, equitable, and responsive Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read.
The hearing forms part of the broader review process of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and is seen as a strategic move toward fostering national unity and addressing structural legal issues within the federation.
Politics
Tinubu’s Contribution To Buhari’s Presidency Marginal – Ex-SGF

For the first time since 2022, when then-presidential aspirant Alhaji Bola Tinubu declared he made former President Buhari Nigeria’s President in 2015, Mr Mustapha dismissed the claims, stressing that the merger only contributed about three million votes in addition to Buhari’s existing 12 million votes in the North.
He insisted that former President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to the breakthrough, not the three million votes from the merging parties, which he described as insignificant.
Speaking on the role of the merging parties, particularly President Tinubu, the leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mr Mustapha, who was the keynote speaker at the launch of the book ‘According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience’ authored by Mallam Garba Shehu, described the impact of the votes from other merging parties as very insignificant.
In attendance were former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, chair of the event; immediate past Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; SGF George Akume, who represented President Tinubu; PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar; former Chief of Staff to Buhari Ibrahim Gambari; elder statesman Babagana Kingibe; former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Raji Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former ministers Solomon Dalung and Sunday Dare; former Army Chief Tukur Buratai, and Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu’s spokesman, among others.
According to Mr Mustapha, “I do not intend to stir up any controversy. The merger in 2013 was midwifed to create a Buhari presidency. Let us look at the statistics. In the 2003 election, it was the Obasanjo-Buhari presidential contest where Buhari recorded 12.7 million votes. In 2007, it came to 6.6 million, and it went back to 12.2 million in 2011.
“When we were conceptualising the merger, what would give us a headstart? Obviously, it was at the back of our consciousness that the merger with the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), though it had only one state, the ACN had six states, ANPP three states, and when you sum up the total votes that we had as the presidency in 2015, the aggregate of the total votes was 15.4 million.
“So, basically, what we brought to the table after the merger outside the Buhari 12.5 million votes was three million. Before turning to that presidency, it is important to recognise the former President’s role in reshaping Nigeria’s political trajectory.
“In early 2013, as the leader of the CPC, Buhari formally requested and supported the creation of a CPC merger committee, part of a broader coalition-building process that brought together the ACN, ANPP, APGA faction, and elements of the ruling party through the breakaway ‘new PDP’ group. His endorsement and participation, along with other party leaders such as President Tinubu and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, lent credibility and direction to the merger, helping to unify disparate party factions under the banner of the APC. That coalition-building paved the way for the first democratic defeat of an incumbent ruling party in Nigeria’s history.
“President Buhari’s integrity, national stature, and disciplined messaging were central to that breakthrough. No account of President Buhari’s tenure would be complete without acknowledging the extended periods he spent on medical leave. These moments, while politically delicate, were also telling of his leadership philosophy and personality,” he said.
In his remarks, President Tinubu promised to build on the legacies of former President Buhari, stressing that “nation-building is a relay. The efforts of one administration lay the foundation for the next.
“In this regard, I acknowledge the efforts of my predecessor, President Buhari, and assure all Nigerians that the reform-oriented path he initiated will be consolidated and strengthened under this administration. Our Renewed Hope Agenda is inspired by the desire to build a resilient, just, and inclusive Nigeria—a nation that delivers dividends of democracy to all its citizens”.
Politics
Your Lies Chasing Investors From Nigeria, Omokri Slams Obi
Speaking during an appearance on live television on Wednesday, Mr Omokri alleged that Mr Obi’s statements were misleading and damaging to the country’s economic prospects.
Mr Omokri said some investors currently operating in Nigeria were considering exiting the market due to Mr Obi’s remarks.
“That is not true. He doesn’t rile me up. I rile him up. The reason why I came here is because I’m a patriot. Peter Obi lied. You know, foreign direct investors are watching your programme, who are making investment decisions not to come to Nigeria. There are foreign investors in Nigeria that are making investment decisions to leave Nigeria because of the lie he told.
“One of the lies he told is that President Tinubu has borrowed more than the administrations of Yar’Adua, Jonathan, Buhari. That is a blatant lie”, Mr Omokri said.
To buttress his claims, Mr Omokri referenced figures from the Debt Management Office (DMO), maintaining that President Tinubu had actually reduced Nigeria’s external debt burden since assuming office.
“I have here with me data from the Debt Management Office, and Nigerians who are watching can go to DMO.com and search Debt Management Office, Nigeria State of Indebtedness 2015.
“As of 2015, Nigeria was owing a total of $63 billion. When Buhari was leaving office, Nigeria was owing $113 billion. Today, from the DMO, our debt has gone from $113 billion to $97 billion, meaning that Tinubu has reduced our debt by over $14 billion.
“We should be appreciating this man. Yet Peter Obi came here and lied to the Nigerian people. He took the debts and translated them into naira to make it look like the debts have increased”, he said.
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