Politics
Okowa Sacks Aide Over Insubordination

Delta State Governor, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa, has sacked his Executive Assistant on Communication, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, over what he termed as ‘recklessness and insubordination’.
A few days ago, Oghenesivbe in an interview with a national radio in Lagos, allegedly criticised and castigated Governor Okowa and his administration.
The governor is said to have viewed this as an attack on his person and the state government.
Oghenesivbe was quoted as saying, “There are some greedy tribal bigots in Okowa’s administration who have been influencing Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, to either pretend not to recognise his huge efforts in the discharge of assigned responsibilities or to ignore it completely.”
Reflecting on his five years in Okowa’s administration as Executive Assistant on Communication during the interview, Oghenesivbe allegedly disclosed further that he helped a great deal in media management through repelling critical media attacks on the governor and the government by deploying strategic political communication strategies which had enabled the governor to have the conducive environment and peace of mind to deliver dividends of democracy to the good people of Delta State, from 2017 till date and still counting.
He added that he had to reject an offer by President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) national government in 2017, as the Board Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, to provide uncommon media management services that would enable the governor to govern the state with little or no media attacks from the major opposition party and his detractors.
Oghenesivbe, who lamented over his decision to reject the NITT job, accused the governor of failing to do for him what he did for his colleagues from Delta North Senatorial District of the state.
He said the governor deliberately refused to elevate his official status being the only senior communication aide from Delta Central Senatorial District following the “negative influence of some tribal bigots who do not want a non-Ika to dominate the media space in Okowa administration”.
“As an active Eacgov and senior government official, I have no official car, no Secretary and no media assistants attached to my office, no driver. And no provision in my package to employ a personal assistant, and I have to do everything all by myself but my other colleagues enjoy all of these facilities. Two streets in my town of Kokori; Okpe street and Agbonmeyerin street, which my boss, the governor agreed to construct and rehabilitate. The Scope for the roads have been done by the Ministry of Works and long submitted for approval but all efforts made to commence work failed but other roads projects were approved and work has since commenced in other districts.
“The Okpe street and Agbonmiyerin street are very strategic in Kokori Town and my people will be very happy that in my time as EACGOVDELTA and in Okowa’s tenure, these two popular streets are tarred, and the credit will go to the governor; but the file has been kept in view and I am not happy about it because I am aware of other developments elsewhere via some other appointees in the state. What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. A good governor should necessarily be the governor for all Deltans in word and in action. I have no doubts in my mind that Governor Okowa will finish strong, but in finishing strong he would need to do adequate justice, and apply good conscience to all concerned,” he said.
He had also ruled out resigning from the government, describing it as his last option.
Meanwhile, reacting to the statements credited to Oghenesivbe, which had generated mixed reactions, Governor Okowa on Thursday terminated the appointment of the aide.
A sack letter titled, “Termination Of Appointment”, addressed to the Executive Assistant on Communication, Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, and signed by Patrick Ukah, Secretary to the State Government, (SSG).
The letter described the action of the aide as “recklessness” and “insubordination”.
The sack letter read in parts: “I write to convey to you the displeasure of his excellency, the governor of Delta state over your conduct with respect to the performance of your duties wherein there has been manifest recklessness and insubordination. As this trend can never be tolerated, I regret to inform you that your service as Executive Assistance, Communication, is no longer required and your appointment is hereby terminated.
“Accordingly, I am to request that you take necessary steps to hand over all government properties in your possession to the Permanent Secretary, Directorate of Government House and Protocol forthwith.
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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