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PDP VP Contest: Southern Group Condemns Aliyu’s Comment On Wike
The Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA) has berated the former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, for allegedly casting aspersions on Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, over the choice of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) vice presidential candidate.
In a statement he personally signed, in Port Harcourt, the Leader of the Assembly, Livingstone Wechie, noted a television interview, where Aliyu allegedly said that Wike lost the vice presidential ticket for lack of capacity, character and temperament.
Wechie described the comments credited to the former governor of Niger State as “highly unsalutory and untoward.”
He noted that the assertions by Aliyu raised a lot of concern and failed the sensitivity test completely.
Wechie declared: “The outburst and ungraceful cum uncomplimentary remarks by the former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, against Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, is highly unsalutory and untoward.
“As a matter of fact, his view of Nyesom Wike, an illustrious and highly celebrated Ikwerre son, is an affront not only to his ethnicity and region but to the Nigerian state, particularly in the face of the current political and economic disputations and contradictions bedevilling the Nigerian state today.”
The assembly accused Aliyu of attempting to cause disharmony in the party, at a time when PDP was in dire need of mending fences.
“It is viewed with respect that former Governor Babangida Aliyu has acted far below dignity with a primordial and archaic sentiment and above all unstatesmanly.
“His narratives are suspicious, to say the least curious, as it appears to be aimed at fuelling crisis and fanning the embers of avoidable conflict within the ranks of the Party at a time the party should be mending walls and beg for peace after a fierce and sharp contest which shook the political atmosphere almost to a negative trajectory.”
The group wondered what could have given the former governor of Niger Delta the tenacity to make uncomplimentary remarks about the Rivers State governor.
Wechie asked: “In all modesty, between Nyesom Wike and Babangida Aliyu in the circumstance, who should be speaking of capacity, temperament or political character? The records of political profiles between both figures are extremely apart as Nyesom Wike has built an unsurpassable political clout that dwarfs everything Babangida Aliyu represents, and this is not in dispute.
“Governor Nyesom Wike, in his capacity, is in a class of his own, as the lawyers will say ‘sui generis’. His marks must be kept close to the chest drawing from the lessons of Donald Trump’s political pedigree in the United States of America, whose feat continues to hunt American politics because of his background of not being among the ruling family or class, yet took America by storm in such unwavering propensity.
“It is on record that former Governor Babangida Aliyu, in 2015, as an incumbent, failed to produce a successor as governor of Niger State which candidate he allegedly foisted on the PDP, and went on to lose both the governorship seat to the opposition APC, as well as his own senatorial election as a seating governor and this is quite humiliating.
“Meanwhile, the same Wike whose profile he seeks to undermine won his governorship election the same year wherein he defeated a seating governor and grabbed all the state and National Assembly seats in Rivers State as an ordinary civilian, who was not occupying any office at the time he ran for that office in 2015.
“Intrinsically, it was under the watch and charge of the same Nyesom Wike as a former minister and governorship candidate at the time that the PDP got the highest number of votes both at the governorship and presidential election and this was also replicated back to back in 2019 by the same person.
“It is further on record that former Governor Babangida Aliyu after serially failing to gain any space in Niger State in 2019 reportedly imposed another governorship candidate but was again thoroughly trounced and cut to size in his own state while Governor Nyesom Wike won back-to-back and retained Rivers State as a complete PDP state till date.
“No doubt the issue here is political, it is conversely unsavoury. The leaders of your party have countlessly attested to the fact that Governor Nyesom Wike resuscitated the PDP after it was almost deserted and abandoned to die by many who now gain from it.
“The investment of commitment and price of sacrifices made by the Rivers State governor in rebounding the party and placing it on its feet to function as an opposition party after the Goodluck Jonathan loss is something nobody can erase through any act of deletion.
“The PDP has always celebrated the efforts of Nyesom Wike as the stabiliser of the party when the chips were down. It is no doubt on public record that Nyesom Wike largely took on the task of shouldering the survival of the PDP in a way that made him (Wike) the rallying point and a mecca.
“Little wonder why Governor Nyesom Wike, in retrospect, exposed and identified former Governor Babangida Aliyu as a mole within the party, and current developments indicate that Babangida Aliyu may not have completed his assignment by his sponsors and co-travellers both within and outside the PDP which sole purpose is to knee on the neck of the party.”
The assembly reiterated that, in terms of records, there was no basis for comparison between Wike and Aliyu on any count in terms of political pedigree.
Wechie emphasised that the statement was not aimed at mocking the former governor of Niger State, but for the leaders to warn and caution themselves as well as check their excesses.
He, however, added that the Ikwerre ethnic nationality and Niger Delta region are proud of Wike and others who have made indelible marks, particularly in the political space.
“This is so, coming from a clime that has made among the highest contributions to the economic and socio-political development of Nigeria.”
Nigerians were among more than 140 residents injured after Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the United Arab Emirates, at the weekend.
This raised fresh fears for thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Gulf nation.
The UAE Ministry of Defence disclosed last Saturday that its air defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones fired from Iran, describing the attack as a major escalation in the ongoing regional tensions.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, the ministry said its air defence units engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones during the latest assault on March 14.
It added that the attacks left six people dead and 141 others injured, including foreign nationals.
“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,” the ministry stated.
“Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran,” UAE added.
According to the ministry, those killed in the attacks included citizens of the UAE as well as foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
“Although the authorities did not specify the exact locations where the casualties occurred, the ministry said the injured victims were from several countries, including Nigeria.
Others affected include residents from Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The list also included Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.
The Tide reports that this development has sparked concern among Nigerian communities in the UAE, where thousands of citizens live and work in sectors such as construction, hospitality, logistics and trade.
Data from Nigeria’s diaspora commission shows that the UAE remains one of the largest destinations for Nigerian migrants in the Middle East, particularly in the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
The Nigerian government had in recent years raised concerns over the safety and welfare of its citizens in the country following diplomatic tensions and visa restrictions affecting Nigerians.
Saturday’s attacks have now heightened anxieties within the diaspora community, especially as the Gulf region faces growing military confrontations.
In its statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the country remained fully prepared to confront any threats to its security.
“The Ministry of Defence remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront any attempts to undermine state security in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguards its national interests and capabilities,” the ministry said.
In a separate update, the ministry noted that its defence systems were still actively intercepting missiles and drones.
“UAE air defences are dealing with Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” it said.
Regional media reports indicate that the attacks form part of a wider escalation of hostilities between Iran and Western-backed forces in the Middle East.
According to Al Jazeera, Iran has continued sustained missile and drone strikes across the Gulf despite protests from neighbouring states.
The strikes were said to be in retaliation for military operations launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian positions in the region.
Tehran targeted several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, late on Friday and into Saturday.
The attacks also caused infrastructural damage in parts of the UAE.
Meanwhile, Iran’s elite military wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that US interests in the UAE would remain legitimate targets.
Iranian state media reported that the group issued the warning after US forces attacked Iranian-controlled islands.
The IRGC specifically mentioned ports, docks and military installations linked to the United States as potential targets.
It also urged residents in the UAE to evacuate areas around ports and military facilities to avoid civilian casualties.
Security analysts say the growing exchange of threats and strike across the Gulf could destabilise the region’s economic and aviation activities if the conflict escalates further.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the five new commissioners sworn-in last Wednesday to put in their best for the development of the State.
Fubara gave the charge during the swearing-in of the commissioners at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
This followed the successful screening of the five commissioners by the Rivers State House of Assembly, last Tuesday.
The five commissioners are Tonye Bellgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.
The Tide reports that the governor had sent nine commissioner-nominees to the Assembly for screening, but the Assembly confirmed only five nominees and rejected the nomination of four over various allegations.
Those rejected by the Assembly are Prof. Dantonye Alasia, Mrs. Charity Demua, Mr. Tamuno Williams, and Otonye Amachree.
The governor congratulated the new commissioners on their appointment, noting that their thorough screening by the Rivers State House of Assembly was a proof of their capabilities.
He urged them to deploy their wealth of experience in various fields and put the State on a fast lane of development.
“Ordinarily, I am supposed to charge you on your responsibilities and how to operate. But that has been taken care of by the screening at the Assembly.
“I believe that going through one of the most rigorous screenings, it is enough to say that for those of you who succeeded, you are fit and ready to deliver to our dear State.
“So there is no further charge. The screening was the charge, so I wish you the best as I don’t expect anything less than the best from you,” Fubara said.
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepting suspected stolen petroleum products in Calabar, Cross River State.
The Director of Naval Information, Capt Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement released in Abuja, yesterday.
Folorunsho said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site at Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He said the action followed credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refining site had resumed operations.
According to him, an Anti–Crude Oil Theft team deployed to the location discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed.
“Further exploitation of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.
Folorunsho added that the illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining, was destroyed in line with operational procedures.
He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority area in Calabar, Cross River State.
He said the interception was based on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of petroleum products from vessels berthed at the port.
The naval patrol team, according to him, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally siphoned products to a trailer park within the port facility.
“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.
Folorunsho said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerrycans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in line with extant regulations.
He noted that the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Folorunsho reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.