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Break-Up Warning: Ohanaeze, PANDEF, Afenifere, Others Back VP …ACF Cautions Osibanjo Over Utterance
The socio-political groups such as Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere and the Pan Niger Delta Forum, on Monday, said the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibanjo’s warning that cracks in the country could lead to its break-up should not be taken for granted.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere and PANDEF, in separate interviews with newsmen, supported the Vice President, saying Nigerians could not continue to live in denial.
But the northern socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), admitted that there were unhealthy cracks in Nigeria.
It, however, said the Vice-President should not make statements that would worsen tension in the country.
Osibanjo, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, at an interdenominational church service in Abuja on Sunday to mark Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary, said, “Our walls are not yet broken, but there are obvious cracks that could lead to a break, if not properly addressed.”
At the service, the SGF read Osibanjo’s speech.
In its reaction, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, agreed with the Vice President that cracks in Nigeria could lead to its break-up.
The National Publicity Secretary and acting Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Prince Uche Achi-Okpaga, said the Vice President’s concerns weren’t different from what other Nigerians had been saying.
Achi-Okpaga said government was not making efforts to address the problems, adding that prayers were not enough.
Although he described Osibanjo as a man of unimpeachable character, who knows where the problems of Nigeria lie, he noted that it was not enough to ask Nigerians to pray.
Achi-Okpaga said, “By his pedigree as the Vice President of Nigeria, law professor and pastor, he knows where the shoes pinch the government.
“In so many areas, he is right. You can’t take his words for granted. He has been inside there and he knows where the shoes pinch the government and the people of Nigeria. So, when he drops a word like that you can always know he is serious and he knows the nitty-gritty of what he is saying.
“What he is saying is not even different from what Nigerians are saying. This thing is not rocket science; we are seeing it. Look at the economy, the prices of the commodities have increased. Look at the electricity tariff increase and fuel pump price hike. Is it the gift that the government is giving Nigerians at the heat of this Covid-19 pandemic that has ravaged Nigeria economically?
“Look at security; how Fulani herdsmen are ravaging communities and agricultural lands; killing Nigerians every day. The government is aware of this and no effort is being made to stem it.”
On the Vice President’s call on Nigerians to pray, Ohanaeze spokesman said it was apt but noted that there should be a balance of prayers and actions.
On his part, the Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said, “This is a perceptive observation and bold declaration by the Vice President. It is an honest admission better than playing the ostrich. When you admit the problems you can begin to find solutions to them. But when you live in denial, you won’t find solutions to your problems. We hope his admission will.
Also, PANDEF said that what Nigeria needed was restructuring, justice and peaceful coexistence to bring about progress and development.
Spokesman for the group, Comrade Ken Robinson, said on Monday, the Vice President was right that there were cracks in the country.
He stated, “PANDEF feels that the Vice President is partly right that there are cracks, there are disaffections. Nigeria is in a precarious state.
“People are not happy with the way the affairs of the country are being conducted, so various groups are asking for self-determination. There is a Yoruba group that is asking for self-determination.
“There are the IPOB, the Igbo youths and there is general disaffection in the country, with the nepotistic attitude and disposition of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“So, VP Osibanjo, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is right that there are cracks, but the answer is not prayer. We talk too much about prayers in Nigeria, when we know what to do.
“What to do is restructuring of Nigeria to give federating units power. What we need is fiscal federalism. What we need is devolution of powers. There is too much power at the centre.
“The constitution as it is today makes the President the God of Nigeria. This is not right. He can wake up one morning and do whatever he likes and it stands.”
The National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Porgu, also supported the Vice President’s warning.
Speaking in Jos, Plateau State capital, Porgu, noted that the British Colonial masters brought different nationalities together without recourse to their individual differences.
He lamented that the present regime led by Buhari had continued to promote policies in favour of his Fulani and Muslims to the detriment of the interests of other Nigerians
Porgu said “I think the Vice President said the right thing because we have been talking about the issues bedevilling the country including insecurity, bad governance, structure of the government which needs to be restructured among others. Unless these issues are addressed and urgently too, such that all the components that make up the country are happy with coexistence, things can fall apart.”
But the ACF cautioned Osibanjo against comments capable of creating further tension in the land.
The northern body acknowledged that the cracks in the country were unhealthy, but noted that the nation would overcome such.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Emmanuel Yawe while reacting to the Vice President’s comment, cautioned other Nigerian leaders, to “watch their words.”
The ACF’s spokesman said, “The cracks are unhealthy but we expect the Vice President to calm nerves and not make a pronouncement that will aggravate the situation.
“The ACF is hopeful that Nigeria will overcome its current travails as it did in the past and even overcame a fratricidal war to break up Nigeria. To do this, Nigerian leaders like Osibanjo should watch their words.”
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a Federal Executive Council committee to move swiftly on measures to further reduce food prices across the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this in Abuja, on Wednesday.
According to him, the directive focuses on ensuring safe passage of farm produce across transport routes to cut logistics costs.
“The President has given a matching order with a Federal Executive Council committee already handling it on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country,” Abdullahi said at a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
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Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has faced worsening food insecurity since the removal of fuel subsidy, high transport costs, and insecurity on major highways disrupted the movement of goods.
Despite government interventions, food remains largely unaffordable for millions.
The minister said the plan is tied to Tinubu’s broader vision of food sovereignty—beyond availability to ensure affordability, accessibility, and nutrition on a sustainable basis.
To back this up, he revealed that government is set to roll out a Farmer Soil Health Scheme to boost productivity and a revamped cooperative reform initiative to mobilise resources and empower rural farmers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, for economic activity generation, and to improve the livelihood of members,” Abdullahi added.
The event, with the theme, “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured Senate Media Committee Chairman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; ex-presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and NILDS DG, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
The Federal Government has warned contractors, including foreign firms, that any breach of regulations in road projects awarded to them may lead to arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, issued the warning during an inspection of the ongoing dualisation of the East-West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction in Rivers State.
The section is being executed by Reynolds Construction Company (Nigeria) Limited.
Responding to questions from journalists, Umahi commended the quality of work on the project but expressed displeasure over the slow pace, stressing that the December completion deadline remains sacrosanct.
On the project, he said:“The quality of the work is excellent, but the pace of work is totally unacceptable. Let me make it very clear to the contractor that this project will neither be reviewed nor varied in price or claims.
“I’m sure we have issued over 10 warning letters to them. If they fail to comply with the completion deadline of December 15, we will not extend it.”
He added that the ministry had already put measures in place to enforce compliance
“The comptroller has negative certificates to issue, and I will recover the money from any of their other projects. All those letters are on record, and when the time comes, they will be invoked. Any contractor who refuses to abide by regulations will have the EFCC and ICPC to contend with,” he said.
Umahi further disclosed that the Federal Government had directed that road projects valued below N20bn would no longer be awarded to expatriate companies, in line with its “Nigeria First” policy aimed at strengthening indigenous capacity in the construction sector.
“This is part of the Nigeria First policy of the Federal Government. Henceforth, no expatriate firm will be awarded any project valued below N20bn. Such projects must go to indigenous companies, while expatriates focus on higher-value projects requiring more technical capacity,” he said.
The minister also noted that the Federal Ministry of Works had adopted a funding prioritisation framework to sustain road projects initially financed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
He stressed that President Bola Tinubu had directed that none of such projects should be abandoned, adding that priority would be given to critical economic corridors.
Umahi also decried the indiscriminate parking of heavy-duty vehicles on highways, saying it was damaging the pavements of completed sections of the road.
He said letters would be sent to state governors and the Inspector-General of Police to enforce punitive measures against defaulters.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Rivers State, Mrs Enwereama Tarilade, said RCC had completed 15km of the right carriageway and commenced work on the left carriageway, with one kilometre already laid in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement.
The Rivers State Government says it will ensure the smooth and successful takeoff of the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), in Ogoniland.
This commitment was made yesterday by the Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), during a courtesy visit by the university’s Governing Council and Management team at the Government House, in Port Harcourt.
The high-level delegation was led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Professor Don Baridam and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedu Mmom.
In his address, Administrator Ibas warmly congratulated the pioneer council and management on their appointments, describing their task as both a recognition of individual accomplishment and a historic call to duty.
“This is not just a recognition of your personal achievements but also a call to history to shape an institution that will have a profound impact on Rivers State, the Niger Delta, and indeed our country,” he stated.
The Administrator commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the establishment of the specialized university in Ogoniland, describing the initiative as “timely and strategic.”
He emphasized that the university’s presence offers a critical opportunity to drive research, innovation, and community-focused solutions to the region’s pressing environmental and developmental challenges.
He further noted that the university’s core focus aligns perfectly with the priorities of his administration.“We consider this university not merely as another institution of higher learning but as a strategic partner in our collective effort to rebuild Rivers State under the ongoing state of emergency and beyond,” he affirmed.
Responding to specific requests presented by the delegation, Administrator Ibas assured the university of immediate support in critical areas essential for the its commencement.
These include the provision of operational vehicles, key facilities, and the completion of the access road to the campus, adding that other vital needs, such as perimeter fencing, refuse disposal, and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, would be addressed within the framework of the state’s broader infrastructure and support programmes.
To ensure swift action, the Administrator directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to work closely with the university’s Governing Council to prioritize the sequence of requests, particularly those tied to the commencement of academic activities in September 2025.
“Let me assure you that Rivers State Government will stand as a dependable partner to the Federal University of Environment and Technology. We see this university as part of our long-term investment in knowledge, innovation, and the future of our youths,” he emphasized.
In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Don Baridam, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community development.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has directed the institution to formally commence its academic session in September 2025, adding that preparations are in full swing to ensure a smooth take-off with adequate infrastructure and resources in place.
“Today’s meeting marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between the Rivers State Government and FUET, envisioned to establish the university as a premier hub for research, innovation, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta”, he said.
