Politics
Count Odili Out Of Tribal Politics, Group Tells Obuah
A non-governmental political pressure group, the Ndoni Advocacy For Good Governance (NAFOGG) has charged former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Bro. Felix Obuah, to count the former Rivers State governor, Dr. Peter Odili, out of tribal politics, describing Odili as a detribalised, peaceful and development-driven leader.
This is contained in a statement signed by the President of the group, Dr. Meshack Ekeh, Secretary, Apostle Cromwell Olisa and Director of Publicity and Mobilisation, Barrister Humphrey Jeremiah, respectively, and made public at Erema-Ndoni, recently.
The statement stressed that for the eight years, Odili, as governor of Rivers State, ran an administration without discrimination of any sort, adding that “Dr. Peter Odili who Obuah claimed is taking sides in the political crisis, which he and his godfather and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, among other political dissidents planned to unseat an elected and sitting Governor for unjustifiable reasons remains cheap political points to smear the good image of Dr. Odili”.
NAFOGG’s statement reads in part: “The attention of Ndoni Advocacy For Good Governance (NAFOGG) led by Dr. Meshack Ekeh, has been drawn to a purported condemnation of Dr. Peter Odili by Felix Obuah in a radio interview recently, accusing the former governor of taking side by supporting Governor Siminalayi Fubara, instead of former governor, Nyesom Wike, and as such, failed to broker peace between the duo, as to move the state forward developmentally as a father.
“We are not surprised that Obuah has forgotten in a hurry that it was the same Odili who brought Wike, Amaechi, Obuah and others to political relevance in the state and country. If Odili had taken sides with anybody, they would not have been part of his government. As long as we are concerned, Obuah should go and bury his face in shame for supporting Wike who is poised to corner Rivers wealth and fortunes at the detriment of the people.
“We are also aware that it was the same Odili that brought out Wike and others from the wood and beautified them by giving Nyesom Wike, Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA for eight years, among other positions. He also championed the chairmanship cause of Felix Obuah for the sole of the PDP in the state. Obuah should stop biting the fingers that had fed him and made him, after God Almighty, who he is today.
“We, therefore, call on Felix Obuah to think of better things to do for himself rather than going from one media house to another to seek for sympathy”.
“What Odili did for Nyesom Wike, Chibuike Amaechi, Celestine Omehia and others, nobody has done one quarter of such in the business of governance. Therefore, Rivers, as a secular state, remained indivisible. As far as the group is concerned, we queue behind Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara who has surpassed the so-to-speak achievements of Nyesom Wike within the past seven months in the saddle of governance in the state”
The group accused Obuah and Wike of stirring political crisis across the 23 local government areas of the state because of their inability to have their way.
“Whether Obuah supports Wike or not, who God has ordained to rule the people, nobody can change it. Siminalayi Fubara is an ordained ‘servant-leader’ who has come to rescue Rivers people from political slavery, penury, hunger and deprivation”, they stressed.
The group warned that any further accusation against Dr Odili would be resisted, describing the claims of the former PDP boss in that interview as “cheap political propaganda of a failed political loser in the corridors of power”.
Bethel Toby
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.