Politics
APC, INEC Planning To Rig Polls – Wike
Last week, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike led the state PDP campaign train to six local government areas of the state.
The local government areas covered were Ikwerre , Abua/Odual , Ahoada East, Ahoada / West , Asari-Toru and Khana.
At Saint Martin’s Anglican Church field,venue of PDP rally for Ikwerre Local Government Area, last Monday, the governor blamed the youths for the unemployment in the country, saying that they voted in APC , a party that does not understand what national economy means.
He enjoined them to vote for Atiku Abubakar for president to make a turn around because he has experience on economy, business and wealth creation so that there would be mass employment for Nigerian youths.
Wike urged the electorate to protect their votes to prevent APC from rigging the 2019 general election.
He gave the charge while speaking at County State School Abua Central, venue of the Abua/ Odual PDP rally held on Tuesday.
He said: “ APC are afraid because they know that Atiku Abubakar will win fair and square. Therefore, they are planning to use security agencies and INEC to rig. It will not work.
“ The only way to ensure that Atiku Abubakar and all PDP candidates emerge victorious is to protect all votes from the polling units to the collation centres”.
Governor Wike also accused the APC-led Federal Government of totally neglecting the oil-rich Niger Delta region
He made the accusation at Akinima during the Ahoada West rally on Thursday. Wike stated that even though Niger Delta produces the wealth of the nation, there is no funding of projects in the area.
“ Look at the East-West Road, no serious attempt has been made to fund the project. All other projects in the area have been abandoned “, he said.
He charged the people of Ahoada West to vote for Atiku Abubakar so as to address the developmental challenges of the Niger Delta.
Wike declared that President Muhammadu Buhari spent his failed time in government struggling to generate security crisis in Rivers State because he was not interested in the growth of the state.
Making the declaration Wednesday during the PDP campaign rally for Ahoada East Local Government Area, the governor disclosed that for about four years President Buhari deliberately refused to grant any request for assistance from the Rivers State Government.
He announced the award of contract for the constructions of Government Secondary School, while work on the Western Ahoada County High School would be completed before the election.
He further announced that the process for the sitting of the two faculties of the Rivers State , University in Ahoada is on track and that the project has been included in the 2019 Budgect.
At KNC Buguma, venue of Asari Toru PDP campaign rally held on Friday, the Wike disclosed that Flag Amachree of APC was in a meeting where they planned to destroy INEC offices in some local government areas in the state.
According to the governor, the evil plan would make INEC not to hold election in the state as planned.
Wike also drew attention of lovers of democracy and the international community to an open threat by one Odili of APC in Rivers State that elections would be stopped from holding in the state because INEC obeyed court order to delist candidates of APC in the governorship election.
On Saturday at the PDP rally in Khana Local Government Area, Wike accused the Transportation Minister and leader of APC in Rivers State of harbouring hatred for the Ogonis by stopping their son from becoming a governor of the state and also for removing a prominent son of the Ogoni from a top position which he occupies in the NDDC.
He called on the people of Ogoni to vote out APC to end the frustration of growth of the area b APC – led Federal Government.
Apart from PDP campaign rally that dominated events in Government House Port Harcourt, last week, Governor Wike hosted the United State of America Ambassador to Nigeria on Wednesday ad well as the National Executive Council of ,International Federation if Women , Lawyers who were in Government House Saturday on a courtesy visit.
He also attended the Mega Crusade of Anglican Diocese of Niger Delta North Thursday at Capt. Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola.
Wike also attended the 5 Nights of Glory, a programme organised by the Salvation Ministry, in Port Harcourt.
Chris Oluoh
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.
Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.