Politics
2023: Nigeria Deserves The Best – Gowon
A former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, (rtd) has said that Nigeria deserves to be led by its very best in 2023 and beyond.
He said this on Friday in Abuja when officials of the Progressive Consolidation Group (PCG) paid him a visit at his Abuja residence.
Gowon emphasised that while he had no partisan involvement, he believed that leaders and citizens at all levels had a duty to sustain peace, progress, and national unity of the country.
He also affirmed his conviction that no matter the level of intrigues and circumstances, God would ultimately decide the final outcome.
Gowon said that in the country’s interest, all politicians and their followers must look beyond the struggle for positions and sustain faith in Nigeria.
He urged the mass media to do more towards consolidating national unity.
“Sustain hope, believe in Nigeria, and believe in the cause of unity and peace,” Gowon said.
The Tide source reports that leaders of the PCG earlier had a closed-door meeting with the former Head of State.
The leaders include its Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Musa Kwande, who is also the Baraden of Lafia Emirate, and its Co-ordinator, Alhaji Ahmed Zagi.
Zagi told newsmen that the visit was a matter of courtesy, adding that as an elder statesman, Gowon embraced everyone.
“You all know that our message and mobilisation for the 2023 presidential candidature of Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has reached every part of this country.
“And our visit to this great patriot is out of much-deserved courtesy rather than partisan considerations,” he said.
He said Osinbajo had never been desperate for positions, but God and his rich credentials had always made things possible for him.
“General Gowon took us down memory lane to scenario of January 13, 1966, and he believes that the scenario of ascension to high position without desperation or unnecessary intrigues is something that all must consider.
“He said that he never knew that he would occupy that seat and that whoever God has destined to be president would become president, regardless of his circumstances or challenges.
“While expressing his conviction that only God can confer power, Gowon said he has interacted with Nigerians who have a lot to offer when the time comes for them to inherit great responsibilities”.
“He counselled that what all citizens need to do is to pray for all candidates being brought forward by various political parties so that we can have the right persons who can further consolidate national unity,” he said.
He added that Gowon also emphasised his long-held belief in one united Nigeria, saying that it was only those that could further enhance national unity, peace, progress, and development for Nigeria that could truly lead successfully in the years ahead.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has appointed Nigerian music legend, Innocent Idibia, popularly known as TuFace, as his Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
In a viral video on Wednesday, Governor Alia praised TuFace for all the support towards his administration.
The Governor stated that TuFace can do more.
He stated, “On behalf of the Benue State Government and our very good people, we want to give you some more responsibility plus the ones you have been doing because you have the capacity to do some more and help us chart a way forward to improve other people’s lives and to gain more from your wisdom and advice as well.
“So, I’m pleased to announce that we will make you a Technical Adviser to the Governor on Entertainment and Community Outreach.”
Governor of Delta State, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, has officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The announcement was made following a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Asaba on Wednesday.
The Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Sir Festus Ahon, confirmed the development in a telephone conversation with The Tide’s source.
Similarly, the defection of former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was announced on Wednesday in Asaba by Senator James Manager, following a meeting that lasted over six hours at the Government House.
Senator Manager said all PDP members in the State, including the Governor, former Governor Okowa, the Speaker, the state party chairman, and all local government chairmen, had agreed to join the APC.
“We cannot continue to be in a sinking boat,” he said.
The decision to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) followed extensive consultations with political stakeholders and was made in the interest of Delta State’s long-term development.
Governor Oborevwori, who won the 2023 gubernatorial election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was received by senior APC officials in what political analysts are already describing as a strategic realignment with far-reaching implications ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria has condemned the recent wave of killings in Plateau, Borno, Benue, Niger State and most recently, Kwara State, calling on the federal and state governments to take urgent steps to stem the tide.
Chairman, Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures of Nigeria, Adebo Ogundoyin, stated this in a statement issued in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Rt Hon. Ogundoyin, who is the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, said the gruesome killings had led to tragic loss of lives, widespread displacement, and unimaginable trauma for thousands of Nigerians.
“We are alarmed by the escalating insecurity in the land and the seeming helplessness with which these attacks are met. The time for mere condemnation and rhetoric has passed; urgent and coordinated action is now required at all levels of government to end these bloodbaths and restore peace and order.
“While we acknowledge that defence and national security fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal Government, we must stress that every level of government bears responsibility for the security and welfare of the people. State governors, in particular, must rise to the occasion and fully understand that governance is not limited to road construction and ceremonial functions. True governance is rooted in the protection of lives, the preservation of order, and the alleviation of suffering,” he said.
He called on state governments to complement the efforts of the Federal Government by making and enforcing enabling laws for community policing and other grassroots-driven security models.
According to him, States must develop proactive frameworks that integrate local intelligence, social support systems, and youth engagement in the fight against insecurity.
The conference also urged the Federal Government to meaningfully engage the citizenry and introduce bold, practical measures to cushion the hardship caused by its current economic policies.
“Millions of Nigerians are groaning under the weight of inflation, unemployment, and a cost-of-living crisis. It is imperative that relief initiatives—targeted, transparent, and impactful—are rolled out without delay. Dialogue, not distance, must define the relationship between the government and its people at this critical time.
“The Conference of Speakers affirms its commitment to supporting all legislative actions necessary to restore security, promote justice, and foster inclusive governance across the country. The killings in Benue, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Kwara, and any part of Nigeria must not be allowed to continue unchecked. Justice must prevail, and peace must be restored.
“Let it be known: the safety, dignity, and well-being of every Nigerian must remain the top priority of all arms and levels of government,” Rt Hon. Ogundoyin said.