Politics
Wike Swears-in Laminkara To Replace Daisy Okocha
Activities to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remem
brance Day dominated most part of programmes in Government House last week. Though emblem launching and donations towards the programme had commenced last year December the final phase of the annual event came to a climax with a wreath-laying ceremony by Governor Nyesom Wike and other top government officials, on Friday, January 15, 2016 at the Isaac Boro Park cenotaph, Port Harcourt.
On Sunday activities to mark the final phase of the Armed Forces Remembrace Day started with a Special Church Service at St. Thomas Anglican Church, Diobu, Governor Wike and other top government functionaries attended the church service.
In his sermon, Archbishop of Niger Delta Province, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey commended Governor Wike for the impact he has made in the state over the past seven months.
The Anglican Bishop used the Church Service to commend men of the armed forces for sacrificing their lives in keeping the country united and in peace. He said, “what they have done in the North-Eastern part of the country have shown that indeed we have armed forces in Nigeria”.
On his part, Governor Wike underscored the importance of celebrating the heroic deeds of the armed forces. “For Nigeria to be still united we owe men of the armed forces because they sacrificed for the country”.
Returning to the state on Wednesday, the governor commenced governance activities in earnest with several meetings aimed at moving the state forward.
On Thursday however, the governor and other top government officials attended Special Church Servcie and valedictory court session in honour of retiring Chief Judge of the State, Justice Daisy Okocha.
After the church service at St. Paul Anglican Cathedral Diobu, a valedictory court session was held at the Chief Judge’s Ceremonial Court. Encomiums were poured on the justice Daisy Okocha who had only spent 11 days as a substantive Chief Judge of the state, she had been Acting Chief Judge from June to December, 2015. Governor Wike extolled her achievements and wishing her a fruitful retirement.
On Friday, the Governor Swore-in a new Acting Chief Judge to replace retired Justice Okocha who bowed out of service same day.
The new Acting Chief Judge, Justice Adama Iyayi-Laminkara promised to uphold the tenets of the law by ensuring equitable delivery of justice in the state.
Shortly after the swearing-in ceremony, the governor proceeded to Isaac Boro Park for the ceremonial wreath laying exercise and 21 gun salute for the fallen heroes. After the brief ceremony, the governor and other dignitaries returned to Government House where he addressed legionnaires and widows of ex-servicemen.
While addressing the legionnaires, the governor promised to ensure that their welfare and the families of those who lost their lives will receive priority attention. Most especially he promised to incorporate widows of armed forces personnel to benefit from the N2 billion CBN loan scheme for the state.
On Saturday, a Special announcement was issued by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr Austin Tam-George over activities of some Biafran agitators in the Oyigbo area of the state.
Governor Wike through the statement condemned acts of criminality perpetrated by Biafran agitators, as he directed security agencies to arrest the situation.
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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