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Obasanjo Endorsement: I Didn’t Mock Anybody, Just Concerned About PDP -Wike …Says Only APC Carcass In Rivers
Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has clarified that the intent of his public comment on the endorsement of Peter Obi by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, instead of his former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, stems from concern for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Wike offered the explanation when he spoke at the Mgbuodohia Community Primary School premises, venue of the flag-off of the construction of Mgbuodohia Road in Rumuolumeni Town of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, yesterday.
The governor observed that Obasanjo had served as president on the platform of the PDP with Atiku as his vice for eight years, hence, ideally he should have been in a better position to solicit for support from Nigerians on his behalf with confidence.
But if such was not done, Wike noted, by way of endorsement, then, something was fundamentally wrong that should elicit concern by members of PDP.
“I meant no bad. I’m only worried as a prominent PDP member. A man who loves PDP should be worried. I was not mocking anybody. I was merely worried. My prayer was, look, let Obasanjo remain quiet and not say anything. That was all my prayer, but my prayer didn’t work.
“My prayer was that if this man makes any statement, it will indict us because he was president under the Peoples Democratic Party for eight years, and he worked with our presidential candidate. And the campaign of our presidential council is that our presidential candidate during the eight years did very well, with experience.”
He insisted that for Obasanjo to have gone ahead to endorse the Labour Party Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, instead of his former vice, it means something must be fundamentally wrong.
Wike wondered that instead of people in the party to look at the issues critically, and ponder on what could be done with the seeming wrong, they are abusing him.
“What did I do? I didn’t do anything. All I did was to express concern. If you care for this party, it is for you to go back, and ask what is fundamentally wrong?
“Me, that is worried that we should do something and have expressed it, you’re abusing me for telling the party that we should do something.”
Wike insisted that it is only those who love the PDP that would be bent on ensuring that nothing untoward happened to it.
Those who are abusing him, Wike noted, are jobbers and political flirts who jump from one party to another every other day, with one of them now a spokesman of the party.
“They are not bothered, but those of us who since 1998 joined this party, contributed for the survival of this party until now, we keep shouting always when we see danger coming.
“Abuses upon abuses, it will not change anything, rather it will spoil more things. What you don’t know, ask people, seek for advice, people will help you to solve the problem.”
The Rivers State governor said abusing members of the Integrity Group of the PDP would only complicate the lingering crisis in the party.
He further cautioned those who are issuing threats of possible punitive action against the G5 governors to perish the thought.
“Nobody can drive us from this house we have built. All of us will fight here. So, if anybody thinks that you can just sit in your house and dish out orders, it will not work. The house will collapse on you. So, you better think twice.”
Wike flayed Prince Uche Secondus and insisted the companies that bided and got the contract awards for projects sited in Andoni were introduced by him.
According to governor, the companies were paid, but those projects were never executed and Prince Uche Secondus cannot extricate himself from the companies that got those jobs.
Wike also said the soul and strength of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have departed, leaving the carcass and therefore, cannot get any electoral support from Rivers electorate.
Specifically, Wike pointed to the level of support that Chief Anele Orobule, a die-hard believer in the former governor, Chibuike Amaechi, gave to the APC but was disgraced because of failed promises.
Wike mentioned that even when Chibuike Amaechi awarded the Rumuolumeni-Rumuepirikom road, it was abandoned, but under his administration, the project has been completed.
The governor said that in addition, he reconstructed the impassable Naval Road and the Mgbuosimini-Nkpor Road.
He urged the people of Rivers State to be wary of the APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole, who was being fronted by Amaechi because they do not mean well for the state.
The governor urged the Rivers State PDP governorship candidate, Sir Siminialayi Fubara to consider constructing a bridge to link Rumuolumeni to Eagle Island in Port Harcourt when he eventually assumes office.
Providing a description of the project, Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr Dakorinima Alabo George-Kelly, said the Mgbuodohia Road was 5.1KM long, will be 7.3meters wide with offshoot drain of 6.5KM long.
According to him, the start point of the road construction work will be at the Aker Base junction, stretch into Nkpor community to form a perfect circle while connecting Mgbeke community in the area and has five months’ completion period.
President Bola Tinubu yesterday signed into law four tax reform bills aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fiscal and revenue framework.
The four bills include: the Nigeria Tax Bill, the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Bill.
They were passed by the National Assembly after months of consultations with various interest groups and stakeholders.
The ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, yesterday.
The ceremony was witnessed by the leadership of the National Assembly and some legislators, governors, ministers, and aides of the President.
The presidency had earlier stated that the laws would transform tax administration in the country, increase revenue generation, improve the business environment, and give a boost to domestic and foreign investments.
“When the new tax laws become operational, they are expected to significantly transform tax administration in the country, leading to increased revenue generation, improved business environment, and a boost in domestic and foreign investments,” Special Adviser to the President on Media, Bayo Onanuga said on Wednesday.
Before the signing of the four bills, President Tinubu had earlier yesterday, said the tax reform bills will reset Nigeria’s economic trajectory and simplify its complex fiscal landscape.
Announcing the development via his official X handle, yesterday, the President declared, “In a few hours, I will sign four landmark tax reform bills into law, ushering in a bold new era of economic governance in our country.”
Tinubu made a call to investors and citizens alike, saying, “Let the world know that Nigeria is open for business, and this time, everyone has a fair shot.”
He described the bills as not just technical adjustments but a direct intervention to ease burdens on struggling Nigerians.
“These reforms go beyond streamlining tax codes. They deliver the first major, pro-people tax cuts in a generation, targeted relief for low-income earners, small businesses, and families working hard to make ends meet,” Tinubu wrote.
According to the President, “They will unify our fragmented tax system, eliminate wasteful duplications, cut red tape, restore investor confidence, and entrench transparency and coordination at every level.”
He added that the long-standing burden of Nigeria’s tax structure had unfairly weighed down the vulnerable while enabling inefficiency.
The tax reforms, first introduced in October 2024, were part of Tinubu’s post-subsidy-removal recovery plan, aimed at expanding revenue without stifling productivity.
However, the bills faced turbulence at the National Assembly and amongst some state governors who rejected its passing in 2024.
At the NASS, the bills sparked heated debate, particularly around the revenue-sharing structure, which governors from the North opposed.
They warned that a shift toward derivation-based allocations, especially with VAT, could tilt fiscal balance in favour of southern states with stronger consumption bases.
After prolonged dialogue, the VAT rate remained at 7.5 per cent, and a new exemption was introduced to shield minimum wage earners from personal income tax.
By May 2025, the National Assembly passed the harmonised versions with broad support, driven in part by pressure from economic stakeholders and international observers who welcomed the clarity and efficiency the reforms promised.
In his tweet, Tinubu stressed that this is just the beginning of Nigeria’s tax evolution.
“We are laying the foundation for a tax regime that is fair, transparent, and fit for a modern, ambitious Nigeria.
“A tax regime that rewards enterprise, protects the vulnerable, and mobilises revenue without punishing productivity,” he stated.
He further acknowledged the contributions of the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, the National Assembly, and Nigeria’s subnational governments.
The President added, “We are not just signing tax bills but rewriting the social contract.
“We are not there yet, but we are firmly on the road.”
The Senate has issued a 10-day ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) over its failure to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts probing alleged financial discrepancies amounting to over ?210 trillion in its audited reports from 2017 to 2023.
Despite being summoned, no officials or external auditors from NNPCL showed up yesterday.
However, representatives from the representatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and Department of State Services were present.
Angered by the NNPCL’s absence, the committee, yesterday, issued a 10-day ultimatum, demanding the company’s top executives to appear before the panel by July 10 or face constitutional sanctions.
A letter from NNPCL’s Chief Financial Officer, Dapo Segun, dated June 25, was read at the session.
It cited an ongoing management retreat and requested a two-month extension to prepare necessary documents and responses.
The letter partly read, “Having carefully reviewed your request, we hereby request your kind consideration to reschedule the engagement for a period of two months from now to enable us to collate the requested information and documentation.
“Furthermore, members of the Board and the senior management team of NNPC Limited are currently out of the office for a retreat, which makes it difficult to attend the rescheduled session on Thursday, 26th June, 2025.
“While appreciating the opportunity provided and the importance of this engagement, we reassure you of our commitment to the success of this exercise. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
But lawmakers rejected the request.
The Committee Chairman, Senator Aliyu Wadada, said NNPCL was not expected to submit documents, but rather provide verbal responses to 11 key questions previously sent.
“For an institution like NNPCL to ask for two months to respond to questions from its own audited records is unacceptable,” Wadada stated.
“If they fail to show up by July 10, we will invoke our constitutional powers. The Nigerian people deserve answers,” he warned.
Other lawmakers echoed similar frustrations.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) insisted that NNPCL’s Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, must personally lead the delegation at the next hearing.
The Tide reports that Ojulari took over from Mele Kyari on April 2, 2025.
Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi (Ebonyi North) said the two-month request suggested the company had no answers, but the committee would still grant a fair hearing by reconvening on July 10.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central) warned the NNPCL against undermining the Senate, saying, “If they fail to appear again, Nigerians will know the Senate is not a toothless bulldog.”
Last week, the Senate panel grilled Segun and other top executives over what they described as “mind-boggling” irregularities in NNPCL’s financial statements.
The Senate flagged ?103 trillion in accrued expenses, including ?600 billion in retention fees, legal, and auditing costs—without supporting documentation.
Also questioned was another ?103 trillion listed under receivables. Just before the hearing, NNPCL submitted a revised report contradicting the previously published figures, raising more concerns.
The committee has demanded detailed answers to 11 specific queries and warned that failure to comply could trigger legislative consequences.
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) said over 17 million Nigerians travelled out between 2023 and 2024.
This is as the association announced that it would be organising a maiden edition of Eastern Travel Market 2025 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from 27th to 30th August, 2025.
Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone, Hope Ehiogie, disclosed this during a news briefing in Port Harcourt.
Ehiogie explained that the event aims to bring together over 1,000 travel professionals to discuss the future of the industry in the nation and give visibility to airlines, hospitality firms, hospitals and institutions in the South-South and South-East, tagged Eastern Zone.
He stated that the 17 million number marks a significant increase in overseas travel and tours.
According to him, “Nigerian travel industry has seen significant growth, with 17 million people traveling out of the country in 2023”.
Ehiogie further said the potential of tourism and travel would bring in over $12 million into the nation’s economy by 2026, saying it would be a major spike in the sector, as 2024 recorded about $4 million.
“The potential of tourism and travel is that it can generate about $12 million for the nation’s economy by 2026. Last year it was $4 million.
“In the area of travels, over 17 million Nigerians traveled out of the country two years ago for different purposes. This included, health, religious purposes, visit, education and others,” Ehiogie said.
While highlighting the potential of Nigeria’s tourism, he said the hospitality industry in Nigeria has come of age, saying it is now second to none.
The Vice Chairman of NANTA, Eastern Zone further said, “We are not creating an enabling environment for business to thrive. We need to support the industry and provide the necessary infrastructure for growth.”
He said the country has a lot of tourism potential, especially as the government is now showing interest in and supporting the sector.
Ehiogie emphasized that NANTA has been working to support the industry with initiatives such as training schools and platforms for airlines and hotels to sell their products.
He added, “We now have about four to five training schools in the region, and within two years, the first set of students will graduate. We are helping airlines sell tickets and hotels sell their rooms.”
Also speaking, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of NANTA, Stephen Isokariari of Dial Travels, called for more support from the industry.
Isokariari stated, “We need to work together to grow the industry and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
“With the right support and infrastructure, the Nigerian travel industry has the potential to make a significant contribution to the nation’s economy.”