Politics
Wike Receives The Sun Award
The visit of the Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo took the shine off other activities in Government House last week. But by “last weekend, the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike received the award of Governor of the Year” by the Sun Newspapers in Lagos.
Osinbajo’s visit had been long anticipated following the meeting of stakeholders in the Niger Delta with the Buhari led administration. The Acting President had in course of the consultation visited Delta and Bayelsa states, but took two days to visit Rivers State, as he was conducted round ongoing projects by Chief Nyesom Wike.
Last Monday, the Acting President visited the Port Harcourt Pleasure Park and later laid foundation for a new doctors quarters at the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital (BMH) in Port Harcourt.
Shortly after the projects tour, the Acting President met with representatives of various groups in the state most especially, the Pan Niger Delta Forum, led by Alabo Tonye Graham-Douglas. The representatives of Rivers Elders Council and the state Traditional Rulers Council presented papers to the Federal Government delegation.
Later in the evening of Monday, Osinbajo was in a special dinner treated with Rivers cuisines and culture. On the same day, the governor through his deputy, Dr Mrs Ipalibo Harry-Banigo unveiled the Port Harcourt Technical and Vocational Centre (PHTVC).
Last Tuesday, the governor and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Bro Felix Obuah received defecting members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) led by Chief Ofili Enebeli. Chief Wike used the forum to berate the APC for unsuccessfully trying to scuttle the Acting President’s visit. He noted that he is focused on the delivery of people oriented projects, as he has totally shocked the leaders of the opposition into oblivion.
Earlier, Bro. Obuah noted that the APC leader from Ndoni, defected to the PDP because of the outstanding performance of Chief Wike.
Last Wednesday, the governor played host to the Chiefs and Community leaders of Rumuokoro clan, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. He used the visit to explain the reasons why the government wanted to build a new Rumuokoro market and park.
According to Chief Wike, the traffic congestion caused by street trading and loading of vehicles had compelled government in building the two new facilities, and once they are completed, he said government will ban illegal parking of vehicles and criminals in the area would be dislodged.
The weekly state Executive Council Meeting took place after the visit of Rumuokoro chiefs and stakeholders.
Shortly after the meeting, the state Information and Communications Commissioner, Dr. Austin Tam-George, briefed newsmen and informed them that the state Commissioner for Health had been relieved of his position. Though he did not give reasons why the commissioner was disengaged, he related that the governor wishes Dr Theophilus Otamiri success in his future endeavours.
Last Thursday, the governor took time out to inspect some projects. He visited the ongoing dualisation of the Abacha Road in New GRA area, Port Harcourt.
On Friday, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola paid a courtesy call to Government House. He was received by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs Ipalibo Harry-Banigo. She restated the resolve of the state government to protect all Federal Government assets, including oil and gas installations.
The governor, through his deputy, expressed delight that the Buhari led administration would soon commerce work on the Bodo/Bonny Road, which will in the long run reduce mishaps usually experienced along the Bonny/Port Harcourt seas route.
Last Saturday, Chief Wike received the award of the Governor of the Year” by the Sun Newspaper in Lagos. Former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku was the Chairman of the occasion.
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.
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”.
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.