News

Makinde Absent As Oyo PDP Campaigns for Atiku

Published

3 years ago

January 5, 2023

Eric

The Peoples Democratic Party chieftains, including a former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (State), Jumoke Akinjide, and a former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Wole Oyelese, on Wednesday, campaigned for the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Others who campaigned for the former vice president under the auspices of National Mandate Group, Oyo state chapter, were former Minister of State for FCT, Hon. Olajumoke Akinjide; former Oyo Deputy Governor, Hazeem Gbolarumi, and Director Special Duty, PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Femi Babalola (Jogor), among others.

The party stalwarts, youths, women and mobilisers from across the state were seen on major streets in the Ibadan metropolis marching with banners and campaigning for Atiku ahead of the February 25, 2023, presidential election.

Meanwhile, the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, and his loyalists were conspicuously absent at the rally held to garner support for the former vice president.

Makinde and his loyalists were also absent at the pre-Atiku Freedom March press conference held at the state Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Tuesday.

The campaign for Atiku in Oyo was also coming ahead of the visit of the G5 governors to Oyo for Makinde’s reelection campaign inauguration on Thursday (today). The PDP G5 governors include Governors Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Seyi Makinde, Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Rivers, Benue, Oyo, Abia and Enugu States respectively.

The PUNCH had on Monday reported that moves by the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, to persuade aggrieved the G5 governors to embrace peace may have failed.

Wike, Ortom, Makinde, Ikpeazu and Ugwuanyi and some political heavyweights from the South had parted ways with the PDP presidential candidate over his alleged refusal to prevail on the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, to resign after Atiku, a northerner, clinched the presidential ticket of the party.

But speaking with newsmen during the campaign, Akinjide said Atiku was a pan-Nigerian and one who would lead Nigeria out of her current Socioeconomic and political challenges.

“We will campaign for Atiku in Oyo on the basis of merit and on the basis of fidelity to our great party. There’s really no divide in the PDP. It is a fight for space. So, I don’t think the public should worry themselves because the day they makeup, they’d be on television smiling and back-slapping and calling each other brother and you wonder why you wasted so much energy on it.

“Let us face what is of concern to 200 million Nigerians which is the five points agenda to recover and restore Nigeria which Atiku is proposing.

“Our presidential candidate is promising to unite Nigeria, secure the country, build a prosperous economy, restructure and devolve power to the federating units, and education system that allows our people to compete nationally and globally and these are core issues that are of interest to the Nigerian people.”

Speaking on the G5 governors’ visit, Akinjide said, “On Thursday (today), we will be having the Governor’s own rally and inauguration. All of us intend to be there as well, but I want to say something: If some of tomorrow’s visitors come and speak against PDP or Atiku, what are we going to say? No to their antics! We are brave people and we must demonstrate that tomorrow.”

The Punch

News

Two Rivers Lawmakers Step Down from Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara, Sue for Peace

Published

3 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Eric

Two members of the Rivers House of Assembly, who are loyalists of former Governor Nyesom Wike, have withdrawn from the impeachment move against Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers.

The Minority Leader of the assembly, Sylvanus Enyinna Nwankwo, and Peter Abbey, who represents Degema State Constituency, urged their colleagues to exercise restraint and allow for dialogue to maintain stability in the state

In a video widely circulated on Facebook and an excerpt published by Rivers State Television, the lawmakers urged their colleagues to prioritise the overall interest and stability of Rivers above partisan disagreements.

Call for ‘cooling-off period’

The legislators stressed that the prevailing political climate demands calm, dialogue and a “cooling-off period” within the assembly to allow, in their words, “wisdom and truth to prevail” in the legislative chambers.

Although they did not expressly mention the impeachment process during the briefing, their intervention is being interpreted by political observers as a withdrawal from the impeachment push against Mr Fubara, which has heightened tensions in the state.

Background to impeachment moves

The Rivers assembly parted ways with Mr Fubara because of the feud between the governor and Mr Wike, who is the FCT minister.

The current impeachment notice on Mr Fubara is the third attempt in less than three years to remove the governor. The previous efforts had split the legislature into two factions, causing President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency in the oil-rich state and suspend the governor, the deputy governor, and the lawmakers.

The lawmakers accused the governor of constitutional breaches and administrative misconduct, allegations his supporters have dismissed as politically motivated.

Source: Premium Times

News

I Won’t Surrender Rivers N700bn IGR to Anyone, Fubara Vows

Published

4 days ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has resisted alleged pressure to hand over N700 billion, representing 35% of the State’s internally generated revenue (IGR), to anyone, sparking a heated power struggle with former Governor Nyesom Wike, now Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister.

The dispute has raised concerns about the welfare of Rivers State residents, with 4.4 million people living in multidimensional poverty.

The feud between Fubara and Wike, who unilaterally chose Fubara as his successor, has escalated into violent confrontations, defections, and legal battles.

Wike has threatened to make Rivers State “ungovernable” if Fubara fails comply, while his supporters have vowed to “deal with” Fubara.

In response, Fubara has warned that he cannot be intimidated, saying: “Rivers State is not a playground” and that he’s prepared to defend the state’s interest.

His supporters have also threatened to mobilise protests against Wike and his allies.

The crisis had paralysed governance, prompting President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month emergency rule in the State last year.

The situation remains tense, with both sides maintaining their respective stance.

The outcome will have significant implications for Rivers State and Nigerian politics.

The dispute highlights concerns about godfatherism in Nigerian politics and its impact on governance.

Wike has accused Fubara of ingratitude, while Fubara sees the former’s demands as an attempt to undermine his authority.

News

Rivers Assembly Begins Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara

Published

5 days ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

The Rivers State House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The legislature kicked off the process at plenary on Thursday.

The lawmakers are accusing Fubara and his deputy of gross misconduct.

Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, is presiding over the session.

The day’s proceedings bear the imprimatur of renewed hostilities between Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

On December 5, 2025, a horde of the Rivers assembly lawmakers led by the speaker, announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Days later, Fubara formalised his own switch from the PDP to the APC.

However, the sabre-rattling and thinly veiled remarks between Wike and Fubara, which culminated in the declaration of emergency rule in the state in March 2025, have persisted.

Most of the Rivers lawmakers have stayed loyal to Wike.

TheCable