Politics
RSG, Ethiopian Airlines Sign Agreement On Permanent Flight To PH
Last week, Rivers State Government and the management of Ethiopian Airlines reached an agreement in principle for the operation of permanent international flights from the Port Harcourt International Airport. The agreement is however, subject to the approval of the relevant federal agencies.
Rivers State Governor Chief Nyesom Wike led a high powered delegation of the state government to the headquarters of Ethiopian Airlines in Addis Ababa on Wednesday and Thursday last week where they met with representatives of the management of the airlines and deliberated on the issue.
The Chief Commercial Officer of Ethiopian Airlines, Esayas Wolde Marian, in an address, said Ethiopian Airlines has agreed to fly permanently from Port Harcourt International Airport.
He solicited for the assistance of the Rivers State Governor to enable the airline get the nod of relevant federal agencies.
He said: “ We are willing and capable to fly into Port Harcourt on a regular basis. For now we have exhausted our bilateral Air Agreement Approval and we need another approval to operate the Port Harcourt route.
“ We need your help to ensure that approval comes from the federal authorities. At least there should be a temporary operating permit, pending the final approval “.
He promised that Ethiopian Airlines will also embark on advertisements to promote Port Harcourt as a tourism and investment destination.
In his response, Governor Wike declared the willingness of the state government to provide an enabling environment for Ethiopian Airlines to operate in the state and assured that he will meet with the Minister of Aviation to ensure that Port Harcourt International Airport is approved for Ethiopian Airlines as a destination.
He disclosed that his administration is working towards making Port Harcourt a regional air transport hub for greater economic development of the state.
Governor Wike said: “ As we therefore consolidate on our achievements, we want to also focus on making Port Harcourt city a regional air transport hub through the Private Public Partnership approach while leveraging on existing aviation infrastructure and related market and other advantages of the state.
“ I wish to assure you that we are willing to do everything within our powers and spheres of authority and influence to facilitate the realisation of your interest and desire to directly and sustainably fly from Port Harcourt to Addis Ababa and other parts of the world.
The state Chief Executive thanked the management of the airlines for its interest in expanding and retaining their services in Port Harcourt adding that Rivers State Government will offer it’s social partnership, goodwill and support.
He noted that Port Harcourt city is strategically located to serve as a transit point for the entire South South and parts of the SouthEast.
The Governor also stated that the state government will sponsor indigenes of Rivers State to study at the Ethiopian Aviation Academy, a subsidiary of Ethiopian Airlines.
Stressing that benefit derivable from the partnership are in many areas, the governor said as an emerging regional aviation hub, there was the need to train aviation professionals.
Wike directed his Executive Assistant on Research and Documentation, Dr Jacob Beredugo and Professor Kaisirm Nwuke, a Rivers professional working with an international agency in Ethiopia to liaise with the management of Ethiopian Airlines to actualise the goals of Rivers State Government/Ethiopian Airlines partnership.
Governor Wike was accompanied on the trip to Addis Ababa by the Former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt Hon Austin Opara, PDP Chairman of Rivers State, Bro Felix Obuah, the Director General, Rivers State Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr Thompson Emmanuel, a former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Felix Nwaeke, former chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, Chief Ejor N. Ejor, and President of Port Harcourt Investors and Entrepreneurs Forum , Ibifiri Bob- Manuel.
Another major event last week was inspection of ongoing projects by the governor, last Friday . He inspected hostels of the newly constituted Real Madrid Football Academy, Port Harcourt and ongoing road projects in the Phase 11 GRA.
The Governor urged contractors to ensure that they deliver their work on schedule.
The governor was accompanied by the Administrator of Greater Port Harcourt City Authority, Ambassador Desmond Akawor.
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.