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I’m Best Aspirant To Defend Interest Of Ndigbo -Wike
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has told leaders and delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abia State to trust him as the only presidential aspirant who has the capacity to defend the interest of Ndigbo.
Wike, who is also a presidential aspirant of the PDP met with the leaders and delegates of the party at Abia State Government House, in Umuahia, last Friday, to solicit support ahead of the party’s presidential primary this month.
The Rivers State governor stated that he would not be that kind of a leader who would be lost on the opportunity in public service to address social injustice and other forms of unfair treatment that people suffer in Nigeria.
Wike reiterated his belief in the restructuring of Nigeria, adding that he was determined to be the first to start the process to strengthen the sense of belonging among Nigerians.
“I say so with all amount of seriousness and I challenge anybody who is from the Southern part of Nigeria; who is from South-South, who is from South-East to say so boldly too. Check all of us; look and determine who can even defend the interest of Ndigbo better than me?
“It is not merely to talk. I mean who has the mind. Who has the courage? I have the mind and I have the courage. I will make sure the injustice in this country is solved.
“Ask them, when they were in power, what did they do? How many of them have spoken out? Look, don’t waste your votes on such people.”
Wike observed that things have fallen apart in the country because those of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who control the Federal Government lack such capacity.
The governor said he was prepared to effectively and productively take drastic decisions, and do so courageously in order to promote national good.
Wike assured that in solving Nigeria’s numerous problems, he would also provide requisite logistics, and other support to the security agencies to enable them curb insurgency and activities of bandits within a given timeline.
“That is what leadership is all about. You must be courageous to take decisions people are thinking that is impossible. Inability to take decisions that is our problem in this country.
“But I will take those decisions that people are running away from. I will take it.”
On his part, Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, who had earlier hosted Wike on a courtesy visit, said they have found in the presidential aspirant a leader who was consistent, with character and trust worthy.
Ikpeazu said Nigeria was in a precarious situation with a bleak future and requires Wike to forge national unity, rescue the country and stabilise socio-economic development.
Former Abia State Governor, Senator Theodore Orji, who represents Abia Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, said Wike as a performer, was qualified to lead Nigeria.
He assured the presidential aspirant that Abia state delegates will support him.
Also speaking, former Gombe State Governor, Dr Hassan Dankwambo restated that Wike was truly a tested politician who was prepared psychologically and physically to be the best president of Nigeria.
Abia State PDP Chairman, Dr. Alwell Asiforo Okere, explained that most delegates were Wike’s converts because they believe in the leadership that he would offer following from what he had accomplished in Rivers State.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, has dissolved the State Executive Council.
The governor announced the cabinet dissolution yesterday in a statement titled ‘Government Special Announcement’, signed by his new Chief Press Secretary, Onwuka Nzeshi.
Governor Fubara directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.
He thanked the outgoing members of the State Executive Council for their service and wished them the best in their future endeavours.
The three-paragraph special announcement read, “His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, GSSRS, Governor of Rivers State, has dissolved the State Executive Council.
“His Excellency, the Governor, has therefore directed all Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries or the most Senior officers in their Ministries with immediate effect.
“His Excellency further expresses his deepest appreciation to the outgoing members of the Executive Council wishing them the best in their future endeavours.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday told the National Assembly that it requires N873.78bn to conduct the 2027 general elections, even as it seeks N171bn to fund its operations in the 2026 fiscal year.
INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, made the disclosure while presenting the commission’s 2026 budget proposal and the projected cost for the 2027 general elections before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja.
According to Amupitan, the N873.78bn election budget covers the full conduct of national polls in 2027.
An additional N171bn is needed to support INEC’s routine activities in 2026, including bye-elections and off-season elections, the commission stated.
The INEC boss said the proposed election budget does not include a fresh request from the National Youth Service Corps seeking increased allowances for corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff during elections.
He explained that, although the details of specific line items were not exhaustively presented, the almost N1tn election budget is structured across five major components.
“N379.75bn is for operational costs, N92.32bn for administrative costs, N209.21bn for technological costs, N154.91bn for election capital costs and N42.61bn for miscellaneous expenses,” Amupitan said.
The INEC chief noted that the budget was prepared “in line with Section 3(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, which mandates the Commission to prepare its election budget at least one year before the general election.”
On the 2026 fiscal year, Amupitan disclosed that the Ministry of Finance provided an envelope of N140bn, stressing, however, that “INEC is proposing a total expenditure of N171bn.”
The breakdown includes N109bn for personnel costs, N18.7bn for overheads, N42.63bn for election-related activities and N1.4bn for capital expenditure.
He argued that the envelope budgeting system is not suitable for the Commission’s operations, noting that INEC’s activities often require urgent and flexible funding.
Amupitan also identified the lack of a dedicated communications network as a major operational challenge, adding that if the commission develops its own network infrastructure, Nigerians would be in a better position to hold it accountable for any technical glitches.
Speaking at the session, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) said external agencies should not dictate the budgeting framework for INEC, given the unique and sensitive nature of its mandate.
He advocated that the envelope budgeting model should be set aside.
He urged the National Assembly to work with INEC’s financial proposal to avoid future instances of possible underfunding.
In the same vein, a member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, Billy Osawaru, called for INEC’s budget to be placed on first-line charge as provided in the Constitution, with funds released in full and on time to enable the Commission to plan early enough for the 2027 general election.
The Joint Committee approved a motion recommending the one-time release of the Commission’s annual budget.
The committee also said it would consider the NYSC’s request for about N32bn to increase allowances for corps members to N125,000 each when engaged for election duties.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on INEC, Senator Simon Along, assured that the National Assembly would work closely with the Commission to ensure it receives the necessary support for the successful conduct of the 2027 general elections.
Similarly, the Chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, Bayo Balogun, also pledged legislative support, warning INEC to be careful about promises it might be unable to keep.
He recalled that during the 2023 general election, INEC made strong assurances about uploading results to the INEC Result Viewing portal, creating the impression that results could be monitored in real time.
“iREV was not even in the Electoral Act; it was only in INEC regulations. So, be careful how you make promises,” Balogun warned.
The N873.78bn proposed by INEC for next year’s general election is a significant increase from the N313.4bn released to the Commission by the Federal Government for the conduct of the 2023 general election.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday expressed grief over the death of a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and one of Africa’s foremost literary scholars, Professor Emeritus Biodun Jeyifo.
Jeyifo passed away on Wednesday, drawing tributes from across Nigeria and the global academic community.
In a condolence message to the family, friends, and associates of the late scholar, Tinubu in a statement by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, described Jeyifo as a towering intellectual whose contributions to African literature, postcolonial studies, and cultural theory left an enduring legacy.
He noted that the late professor would be sorely missed for his incisive criticism and masterful interpretations of the works of Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
The President also recalled Jeyifo’s leadership of ASUU, praising the temperance, foresight, and wisdom he brought to the union over the years.
Tinubu said Jeyifo played a key role in shaping negotiation frameworks with the government aimed at improving working conditions for university staff and enhancing the learning environment in Nigerian universities.
According to the President, Professor Jeyifo’s longstanding advocacy for academic freedom and social justice will continue to inspire generations.
He added that the late scholar’s influence extended beyond academia into political and cultural journalism, where he served as a mentor to numerous scholars, writers, and activists.
Tinubu condoled with ASUU, the Nigerian Academy of Letters, the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Oberlin University, Cornell University, and Harvard University—institutions where Jeyifo studied, taught, or made significant scholarly contributions.
“Nigeria and the global academic community have lost a towering figure and outstanding global citizen,” the President said.
“Professor Biodun Jeyifo was an intellectual giant who dedicated his entire life to knowledge production and the promotion of human dignity. I share a strong personal relationship with him. His contributions to literary and cultural advancement and to society at large will be missed.”
Jeyifo was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential literary critics and public intellectuals. Among several honours, he received the prestigious W.E.B. Du Bois Medal in 2019.