Politics
Fynebone And The Rambling Of A Sinking Man
Last Sunday, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of Rivers State made a State-wide broadcast wherein he revealed moves by some frustrasted and disgruntled “political leaders” in the state to recruit cultists and ex-convicts as thugs to cause mayhem in the state during the 2023 general elections.
The Governor in the broadcast also advised harbingers of such clandestine and evil plot to desist or have themselves to blame.
Sadly enough, and regrettably too, one cannot understand why this general warning, which was not directed at any particular political party, should elicit the kind of reaction it did from Chris Fynebone, the Publicity Secretary of the ever depleting All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State.
As the saying goes, ‘when dry bones are mentioned in any conversation, the old woman is always uneasy’. This is exactly the scenario in which Chris Fynebone and his pitiable and insignificant APC members found themselves.
Come to think of it, is it only the APC that exists in Rivers state. Is it true that remnants of the fast disintegrating and scattering Special Purpose vehicle were actually planning to cause chaos in the state during the elections? If not why must Chris Fynebone be this swift in reacting to the advice given to Rivers politicians by Governor Nyesom Wike to avoid acts that could cause confusion during the 2023 Elections? It is only someone that is trying to plan evil that can react the way Chris Fynebone did. But suffice to remind Chris that if they were planning to threaten the 2023 election, they should better reconsider their plans because it can never work in Rivers State.
Another particular point of interest to me in Chief Fynebone’s response is the reference to the PDP, a very formidable party that is daily receiving people who are leaving the tattered APC in droves, as ‘crumbling”. To call the PDP that is receiving decampees from the APC from all over Rivers state crumbling is to conclude that Chief Fynebone does not know what is happening to his party or pretending all is well with it or at best does not understand the meaning of the word “Crumbling”.
But if Chris must know, only on Saturday last week over 500 members of the APC in Tai Local Government Area dumped the party for the PDP – the party he regarded as “crumbling”.
The decampees include the representative of Tai in the APC’s Elders Council, Chief (Hon) Peter Gwezia, who was also the first PDP Chairman in Tai before he was deceived to leave the PDP.
In Khana the APC has totally collapsed as all those that malter in the party have since left for the PDP. Who would I mention and who would I leave out? Is it Hon Emma Deeyah, former House of Representatives member, Gregory Nwidam former two times Council Chairman, Friday Nke-ee, former Commissioner and House of Assembly member, Marvin Yobana, former NYCN President or is it Chairman of the party in the area, Hon Celestine Akpobari with many still on their way out?
Just the other day, former Commissioner for Transport and ally of former Transportation Minister, George Tolofari parted ways with the APC. Another chieftain of the APC in Oyigbo, Hon. Bright Jacob, along with many of his supporters, left the confused party too.
In Etche, another Chieftain, Ogbonna Nwuke has since left, former Governorship candidates, Prince Tonye Princewill and Dr. Dawari George, two allies of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi had since left the APC in the Kalabari axis.
All over the state members are leaving the APC in droves, yet Fynebone has the temerity to call PDP a crumbling party. I take it as lack of appropriate terminology, may be he wanted to say ever “growing party”. Fynebone is obviously showing his shamelessness to the public by refusing to acknowledge the bitter fact that his APC is the one that is sinking fast and soon he will be the only one remaining in the sinking ship.
Concerning the revelation made by Governor Wike over plots by some unscrupulous and evil minded politicians to cause crisis in the state during the 2023 election, the APC Spokesperson by his reaction has indeed accepted that his party was hatching such devilish plans.
However, let it be known to him that Rivers people, just as they did in 2019, will resist every attempt to make their votes not to count in the 2023 Elections. APC’s clandestine moves would be futile and the peoples’ Will must prevail.
Governor Wike’s warning should be taken seriously because there must be free, fair, peaceful and credible elections in Rivers State come 2023.
Deeyah, former Director News, Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation and Special Assistant on Media to the Rivers
By: Paul Deeyah
State Chairman of PDP, writes from Port Harcourt.
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has renamed The Polytechnic, Ibadan as Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan, in honour of a late former governor of the State, Dr Omololu Olunloyo.
Dr Olunloyo, who died on April 6, 2025, was the pioneer Principal of the Polytechnic, Ibadan, while he also served as Governor of Oyo State between October 1 and December 31, 1983.
Governor Makinde made the announcement at the state interdenominational funeral service held yesterday in honour of the late former governor at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Liberty Road, Ibadan.
Governor Makinde said Dr Olunloyo lived an eventful life, adding that his attainment and personality could not be summarised in one sentence.
“He was not a man we could summarise in one sentence. He was a scholar, a statesman, a technocrat, a lover of culture and, above all, a man of deep conviction.
“While giving the exhortation, I was listening to Baba Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu and he said in 1983, Baba became Governor of Oyo State. Though his time in office was brief, his election victory over a popular incumbent remains a powerful testament to the trust people gave him.
“I talked about preserving and digitising his library yesterday [Wednesday] as a mark of honour to Baba Olunloyo.
“Today, we will be giving Baba another honour to immortalise him. He was the first Principal of The Polytechnic, Ibadan; that institution will now be named Omololu Olunloyo Polytechnic, Ibadan.”
Earlier in his sermon, a retired Methodist Archbishop of Ilesa and Ibadan, Ayo Ladigbolu, described the late Olunloyo as a role model with intellectual inspiration and unassailable integrity.
The cleric said the deceased also demonstrated leadership in most superior quality during his lifetime.
In attendance were the state Deputy Governor, Chief Abdulraheem Bayo Lawal; wife of a former Military Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Dupe Jemibewon; wife of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief (Mrs) Mutiat Ladoja; former Deputy Governor and PDP Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja; and former Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi.
Others were the member representing Ibadan North-East/South-East Federal Constituency, Hon Abass Adigun Agboworin; Chief of Staff to the Governor, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Oyo State Exco members; Chairman of Oyo State Elders’ Council, Dr Saka Balogun; Chairman of All Local Government Chairmen in Oyo State, Hon Sikiru Sanda; President-General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Adeniyi Ajewole; religious leaders and family members, among other dignitaries.
Ten members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have countered the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, on the reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
The dissenting members, led by the Deputy National Chairman ( South), Taofeek Arapaja, in a joint statement, said no organ of the opposition party could overturn the decision of the 99th meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The dissenting NWC members include Arapaja; Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary; Okechukwu Obiechina-Daniel, National Auditor; Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary; Ologunagba; Woyengikuro Daniel, National Financial Secretary and Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Treasurer.
Others are Chief Ali Odefa, National Vice Chairman (South East); Emmanuel Ogidi, Caretaker Committee Chairman (South South); Mrs. Amina Darasimi D. Bryhm, National Woman Leader and Ajisafe Kamoru Toyese, National Vice Chairman (South West).
The group also insisted that contrary to the position of the acting National Chairman, the 100th NEC meeting of the party would be held on June 30 as earlier scheduled.
The statement read: “The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to a press briefing by the acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, today Wednesday, June 25, wherein he attempted to overturn the resolution of the 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which scheduled the 100th NEC meeting for Monday, June 30.
“The acting National Chairman in the said press briefing also reportedly announced that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has been asked to resume as National Secretary of the party contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which referred all matters relating to the office of the National Secretary to the 100th NEC meeting.
“The pronouncements by the acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC) under the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party, second only to the National Convention. By virtue of Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution, the resolution of the NEC to hold its 100th meeting on Monday June 30, is binding on all organs, officers, chapters and members of the party and no organ, group or individual can vary or veto this resolution of NEC.
“Furthermore, the claim by Damagum that Sen Anyanwu has been asked to resume office as the National Secretary of the party is, therefore, misleading being contrary to the resolution of NEC.
“In the light of the foregoing, the 100th NEC meeting as scheduled for Monday, June 30, has not been canceled or postponed.”
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has fired back at former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following the latter’s scathing criticism of President Tinubu’s administration and his 2027 re-election prospects.
In an interview on live television, Mallam El-Rufai said it would take a “miracle” for President Tinubu to be re-elected in 2027, citing an internal poll that purportedly shows a 91 percent disapproval rating for the president across key regions in the country, including the South-East and the North. He also claimed that President Tinubu’s disapproval rating in Lagos stood at 78 percent.
Reacting on Wednesday via a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mr Onanuga took a swipe at the ex-governor, quoting a harsh assessment of Mallam El-Rufai’s character from former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s memoir, My Watch.
“Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological,” Mr Onanuga wrote, citing Chief Obasanjo’s words. “Why does he do it? Very early in my interaction with him, I appreciated his talent. At the same time, I recognised his weaknesses; the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently for long, but only to Nasir El-Rufai.”
The presidential adviser emphasised Chief Obasanjo’s remarks that Mallam El-Rufai often tries to elevate himself by diminishing others. “He lied brazenly, which he did to me, against his colleagues and so-called friends,” Mr Onanuga continued, quoting the former President. “I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who, in an African setting, was like a foster father to him.”
Chief Obasanjo, who appointed Mallam El-Rufai as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory between 2003 and 2007, did not mince words in the memoir, describing Mallam El-Rufai as suffering from “small man syndrome.”
Mr Onanuga’s post is seen as a direct rebuttal to Mallam El-Rufai’s recent criticism and growing opposition role. The former governor is reportedly playing a central role in forming a new coalition to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
In March 2025, El-Rufai officially dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) and joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP), intensifying speculations about his 2027 political ambitions.
As the political rift deepens, Mallam El-Rufai remains one of the most vocal critics of the Tinubu administration, while Mr Onanuga and other presidential allies continue to push back against what they describe as “reckless” opposition rhetoric.