A pressure group, Action Collective, has accused one Sandra Duru of spearheading a desperate campaign using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to discredit the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Teddy Onyejuwe, the group raised the alarm over a trending online video allegedly featuring the female Senator. Onyejuwe clarified that the video was an AI fabrication and urged the public to disregard any content linked to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan that does not originate from her verified platforms.

According to Onyejuwe, the smear campaign was the work of political opponents deploying Duru “as a pawn to mislead the public.”

“We call on Nigerians to ignore such content and to be vigilant about the growing use of digital manipulation to spread falsehood,” the statement read.

The group described Sandra Duru, who now reportedly goes by the alias ‘Professor Ngbeke,’ as a “serial fraudster with a longstanding reputation for deceit.” They alleged that Duru has operated through a network of fictitious NGOs and shell companies to defraud public figures, private individuals, and institutions over the years.

Tracing Duru’s history, the Action Collective claimed she first gained political access in Imo State through a relationship with Chantel Adanna Chinyere, whom she later allegedly betrayed. Her reputation, according to the group, became further tarnished during the 2011 elections after a series of smear campaigns against notable figures, including former Deputy Governor Eze Madumere.

“She is a master fabricator who uses forged letters, fake programs, and non-existent partnerships to lure unsuspecting victims,” Onyejuwe alleged.

The statement referenced several reports on Duru’s activities, including a June 10, 2020 article on Nairaland and an April 24, 2027 report on Secretsreporter.com, which linked her to numerous scams and acts of misrepresentation.

One notable case highlighted involved Chukwubuike Nelson Ubechi, who reportedly lost N1.2 million to a travel and training scam operated by Duru through her organization, the Pre-Adult Affairs Organisation (PAAO), falsely claimed to have international endorsements.

Beyond public fraud, the group alleged that Duru’s misconduct extended to her personal relationships, citing accusations of blackmail and emotional manipulation from her estranged husband, Emmanuel Ebuka Elobi, and his family.

“This is someone whose every move is laced with fraud, betrayal, and character assassination. She has used everything from fake marriages to AI tools in her crusade of lies,” the statement asserted.

The Action Collective urged media organisations, government agencies, and the general public to remain cautious and distance themselves from Duru and her alleged schemes. They also called for heightened skepticism towards any AI-generated material associated with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

“This is a coordinated attempt by desperate political adversaries to discredit a highly respected public servant. We urge everyone to verify their sources and expose this woman’s deceit before more lives and reputations are destroyed,” Onyejuwe concluded.

[Leadership]

With Wednesday’s defection of the governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) there are indications that more governors in the opposition parties are either preparing or being pressured to switch and join the APC.

Most of the governors, according to Weekend Trust sources, are those serving their first term, who will be seeking to return to office in 2027 and may need the backing of the center to do so.

Opposition governors seeking second term include those of Kano, Osun, Plateau, Enugu, Rivers, Taraba, Akwa Ibom and Zamfara.

The governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, who is also in the opposition is said not to be in that category at the moment as the state appears drawn towards the personality of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and the governor is expected to spearhead the resolution of the crisis in the party.

However, there is also an indication that a second-term governor may also be considering a move.
Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Umar Fintiri, is one of the few governors in their second term reported to have been approached to defect to the APC.

The game at play

Part of the bait being used by leaders of the ruling party to lure the governors, according to sources, is the guarantee of party tickets and support in the general elections.

The governors, sources said, are burdened by the weakened state of their respective parties and near absence of strong figures to defend their interests in the general elections.

A leading figure in one of the opposition parties told our correspondent that unlike in the past where opposition parties had strong structures or strong personalities, in the current dispensation, the opposition parties have been weakened while their leaders are not in control of party structures.

“So if the opposition governors run into trouble, where will they run to? They know that with the ruling party their interests would be protected that is why they’re entering into negotiations with the APC,” he stated.

Our correspondents also learnt that why more governors in the opposition may be wooed is to forestall the planned coalition of opposition parties like it happened in the build up to the 2015 elections which was used to defeat a sitting president.

This is more so as the governors are usually the leaders of the party structures in their respective states and could easily mobilise support for their parties.

Reports indicate that part of the reasons the Delta State governor found it necessary to defect was in order to secure his position in the next elections as his major backers like the former governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, were leaving the party.

The initial calculation, according to sources, was for the ruling party to approach all the opposition governors to defect, but there was a change in plan to focus more on the governors seeking second term as they would need the support at the center to win their elections due to the disintegration of the opposition parties.

The source added that for the opposition governors, the prospect of waiting to join the proposed coalition appears too risky as the plan seems far-fetched and the mobilisation is yet to galvanize the kind of verve that could back up their candidacy in the general elections.

The fear, according to the source, is that with the way the opposition parties have been weakened, the governors cannot rely on them for their second term bids.

President of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), Professor Hassan Saliu, when contacted said what is happening  is not the fault the ruling party.

“Let me say that let us be fair to the ruling party. The other parties have their own internal problems. If people are saying that it is the ruling party that is putting fire into PDP, I beg to disagree. PDP has been passing through problems even before President Tinubu came to power. 

“In 2022/2023, we saw how they were divided. Was it Tinubu that brought about G5 (a group of five governors)? Of course the ruling party would smile and laugh when the opposition parties are having problems but I think it would be too simplistic to put all the blame on the ruling party,” he said.

Akwa Ibom’s Gov Eno

Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Pastor Umo Eno, in a surprising twist, declared his support for President Bola Tibunu’s second-term bid explaining that Tinubu’s commitment to national development through critical infrastructure projects like the Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway was what caused him to endorse the president.

He said, “Mr. President has approved and embarked on this audacious project that is set to unlock our economic potentials, especially for coastal communities. This initiative aligns with his Renewed Hope Agenda and deserves to be completed under his leadership.”

The comment is considered disturbing as his party, the PDP is also expected to produce a presidential candidate in the elections.

His comment has been interpreted as working against his party’s interest, though it will not be the first time that such would happen.

In the build up to the 2023 elections, five PDP governors namely, Seyi Makinde; Samuel Ortom; Okezie Ikpeazu; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Nyesom Wike, all worked against the presidential candidate of their party.

Weekend Trust gathered that there is a lot of pressure on Umo to shift base given that the current President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, is from the state and is expected to deliver Akwa Ibom to the APC in 2027

But the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, dismissed rumours that the governor  will be defecting to the All Progressives Congress.

Umanah explained that Gov Eno’s recent endorsement of President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, was targeted at attracting development to Akwa Ibom and not for partisan reasons. 

“Governor Umo Eno’s support for President Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is a strategic act of enlightened state interest aimed at unlocking federal collaboration for the benefit of the people of Akwa Ibom.

“The governor’s recent open endorsement of the president and other key federal leaders is not about partisanship, but a pragmatic step to foster cooperation and attract federal interventions to the state.

“This growing synergy has begun yielding visible benefits and will further facilitate key initiatives like the Ibom Deep Seaport, Ecological Remediation amongst others”, he said.

Osun: Flying a kite

The Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, had a hard time winning the governorship election in 2023, as he was running against an incumbent Adegboyega Oyetola, who ran for a second term.

Due to the intensity of the campaigns and the resultant animosity by both camps, it was taken for granted that the governor would maintain his leadership of the opposition party.

But with the recent onslaught against his grip of the affairs of the state through the Supreme Court ruling reinstating the sacked local government chairmen, some say he is gradually capitulating.

The sudden appearance of bill boards in the state with the images of the governor and that of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is seen as flying the kite to prepare the minds of the people towards a likely defection.

The governor’s situation is peculiar and he has to be cautious as he defeated an incumbent who is very close to President Tinubu and has not taken his eyes off the seat.

His defection may not be that easy as Oyetola is serving as the minister of Blue Economy and may want to take the APC ticket again. It is also likely that the president may consider supporting another for the party’s ticket given their close relationship.

When our correspondent reached out to Adeleke’s Chief Press Secretary, Olawale Rasheed, on the matter earlier in the week, he promised to return the call, but did not do so. Also, yesterday, a call was put through to him, but he did not take it.

Plateau: Too many puzzles

There are also speculations that the Plateau State governor, Caleb Muftwang, is being wooed to move over to the APC.

He is currently the only governor in the opposition in the entire North-central zone but has a state House of Assembly populated by APC members.

Sources say he is reluctant to do so as he defers most times to the direction of former governor Jonah Jang who controls a large part of the PDP structure in the state.

The current crisis at the national level of the party has, however, not enabled the PDP in the state to consolidate on its grip even as the governorship candidate of the APC in the state, Nentawe Yilwada, has been given a ministerial position and may not have given up his ambition to occupy the Rayfield Government House.

The appointment of Nentawe as minister raised the hope of APC members and the possibility of his stepping down for Muftwang if the latter defects.

But the Plateau State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has ruled out the possibility of Governor Caleb Mutfwang defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

The PDP chairman in the state, Christ Hassan, stated that the party remains unshaken, insisting that its members are loyal.

In a press conference on Thursday, the chairman of the party said, “We have noted the isolated instances of defections by a few party members to other political parties. Let me, therefore, urge all loyal party faithful to remain calm and resolute.  Defections are not new in the political process; however, we are confident that the strength and credibility of the PDP in Plateau State remain unshaken. 

“Be assured that the leadership of the party is working assiduously to consolidate our gains and will continue to provide the needed platform for the aspirations of our people. Everything is under control and better days lie ahead, “ the chairman said.

Taraba: Too early to call

Sources indicate that the Taraba State governor, Agbu Kefas has been approached to consider defection due to the crisis at the national body of the party.

His situation is, however, peculiar as he may not want to go against the interest of General TY Danjuma, who was instrumental to his becoming a governor.

A politician in Jalingo, who would not like his name mentioned, said the recent reception accorded to President Bola Tinubu wife during her visit to Taraba State by Governor Kefas, could be part of the governor’s move to decamp to the APC. 

However, a source close to the governor, who will also not like his name mentioned, told Weekend Trust that the rumours of planned defection by Governor Kefas to the APC was false and the work of mischief makers in the state. 

The source said Taraba is a PDP state and it will remain so.

The Senior Assistant on Media and Digital Communications to Governor Agbu Kefas, Mr. Emmanuel Bello, did not pick calls or reply WhatsApp messages sent to him by our correspondent. 

Kano: The Kwankwaso factor

There have been reports about alleged meetings between the former governor of the state and NNPP presidential candidate in the last elections, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso with leaders of the APC.

Any decision Kwankwaso takes is likely to rub off on the state governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, who has a lot of respect for the former.

But sources in Kano say even if Kwankwaso agrees to defect to the APC, it is not likely that the governor would join in order to secure his base. This, according to them, is because the APC national chairman may move against such arrangement.

“The deal would be to allow Tinubu win Kano while the governor retains his seat,” a source told our correspondent.

Enugu: The push to capture South-east

With two states in the South-east firmly in the grip of the APC making incursion into a third appears like a walk in the park.

But the Enugu State governor, Peter Mbah, is said to still be weighing his options.
Attempt to speak with governors special assistant on media Mr Uchechukwu Ani, was not successful.

Like Zamfara, like Osun

The situation in Zamfara State appears similar to that of Osun where the immediate past governor Bello Matawalle who lost to the current governor Dauda Lawal is a minister in the Tinubu cabinet.

Sources say the Zamfara governor is not considering moving as the structure of the APC in the state is still under the immediate past governor who may still be interested in running for a second term.

Rivers’ Fubara reconsidering

During the week, there were reports that president allegedly met with the suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, in the United Kingdom. There are also speculations that given the situation Fubara has found himself, he may succumb to any pressure to defect to the APC.

Sources say it, however, depends on if he agrees to work with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Some sources also say the likelihood of Fubara returning to the Rivers State Government House to compete his tenure depends on how far he cooperates with the ruling party.

Adamawa: Second term not withstanding

Sources say the Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Umar Fintiri, appeared approachable to the APC given his lukewarm relationship with former vice president Atiku Abubakar and due to the resilience he showed in winning the governorship election in both 2019 and 2023.

Fintiri had served as acting governor of the state and has won elections for two consecutive terms on the platform of the PDP.

Press secretary to Governor Fintiri, Mr Wonosiko Humwashi, however denied the speculation that the governor is contemplating such an action and told our correspondent that Fintiri has no plans to leave the PDP.
He said, “As far as we are concerned, we assure the people of Adamawa state that His Excellency, Governor Fintiri, is not leaving the PDP”.

The governor, we learnt, has been optimistic that the PDP can be rebuilt and made formidable enough to contest the 2027 presidential elections.
There were talks early last year about pairing Fintiri with former President Goodluck Jonathan to run on the PDP platform but with the lack of interest shown by the former president in re-contesting, the permutation has died down.

2027 is political battle between Nigerians, APC – Atiku

Meanwhile, the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday declared that the 2027 elections will be a political battle between Nigerians and the present administration. 

Atiku, who was reacting to the latest defections from PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, noted that he does not bear grudges against any one, as freedom of association in a democracy are “fundamental rights.”

Atiku, in his reaction on his verified Facebook page said, “the coming political battle is not APC versus PDP, or LP versus APC. It is Nigerians versus an administration that has plunged the nation into untold suffering. The economy is in freefall. Inflation is choking the masses. Jobs are vanishing. Youth restiveness is surging to terrifying levels. Nigerians are not just tired — they are angry, and rightfully so.”

The PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election said he has “been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand my position on the latest political shifts, particularly the defection of some PDP members to the ruling party.

“Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights. Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society: the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble.

 [DailyTrust]

Panic and fear have gripped residents of Musukwani area in Jakara, Kano Municipal Local Government Area, following the mysterious disappearance of two young boys believed to have gone missing inside a large, deep ditch in the neighborhood.

The alarming incident has raised fresh concerns, with locals linking the location to possible supernatural forces due to repeated strange occurrences in the area.

Eyewitnesses say the latest case happened on Monday, April 21, 2025, when one of the boys reportedly removed his clothes and wallet — which contained money — and handed them over to some people nearby before entering the ditch.

“We were sitting here when the boy came, took off his clothes, including his wallet with money, and asked us to keep them for him. He said he was going into the ditch to check something, as they usually store things like rods inside. He never came back. Even after nightfall, we closed our shops and went home. The next morning, there was still no sign of him. His belongings are still with us,” Abdul Basit Yusha’u Safiyanu told DAILY POST.

This is not an isolated incident. Just a few days earlier, another boy named Dan Sani also entered the same ditch with a friend and was never seen again. His disappearance remains unresolved.

Musa Hamza, a community leader and maternal uncle of (Dan Sani) one of the missing boys, expressed deep concern and frustration.

“He’s my nephew, about 12 years old. He and his friend came to the ditch. He told his friend to wait while he went in. When the friend noticed he wasn’t coming back, he ran home to tell us. We searched everywhere — even the mortuary — but nothing. All we have now are rumors and fear. Even the fire service officers who entered the ditch struggled to get back out,” he lamented.

Efforts to rescue the boys were made by the Kano State Fire Service. According to the commission’s spokesperson, Saminu Yusuf Abdullahi, the service received a distress call at exactly 3:55 p.m. on April 21.

“In response to a call from one Hamisu Wakili, our team rushed to the site in Jakara, but unfortunately, we could not find the missing individuals, and had to call off the operation,” he confirmed in a phone interview with DAILY POST.

Residents, however, believe the ditch may have more than meets the eye. Some, like Sadam Saraki, linked the area to paranormal activity, claiming it has long been known as a hub for spiritual and mysterious happenings.

Now, the people of Jakara are calling on the Kano State Government and emergency agencies to urgently investigate and take action before more lives are lost.

“People are scared. We can’t sleep with both eyes closed anymore,” one resident said.

The fate of the missing boys remains unknown, as the community anxiously awaits answers.

The Nigerian Army has dismissed an advertisement in circulation purporting recruitment into the Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) and Short Service Commission (SSC).

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lt.-Col. Appolonia Anele, in a statement on Saturday said the advertisement was fake and did not emanate from the army.

Anele said the army had not commenced recruitment or commissioning exercise for DSSC or SSC for the year.

She urged members of the public to disregard the fake advertisement.

Anele said the public would be duly informed through official channels whenever such recruitment exercises were scheduled to begin.

“The Nigerian Army warns all to be cautious and avoid falling prey to fraudsters who exploit such fake information to deceive and defraud unsuspecting individuals.

“Anyone with information about such fraudulent activities or individuals should promptly report to the appropriate authorities for necessary action,” Anele said.

(NAN)

The Abia State Government has denied reports that the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, met with his Imo State counterpart over alleged plans to defect to the All Progressives Congress.

They further described the rumour as false, baseless and unfounded.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Special Adviser to the Governor (Media and Publicity), Ferdinand Ekeoma, said, “The report that His Excellency, Governor Alex Otti, held a meeting with Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State over his alleged planned defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), is false, baseless and unfounded. It’s completely devoid of substance and thus should be disregarded.”

Ekeoma explained that after the National Economic Council meeting on Thursday, April 24, Otti and a few of his colleagues joined Uzodimma to attend the birthday celebration of his twin daughters.

According to him, this event had nothing to do with politics.

“It’s natural for Governor Otti’s impressive performance, popularity and towering credentials as the Governor of Abia State to attract admiration and permutations from interested parties, however, Governor Otti’s political decisions, especially those that would have huge impact and far-reaching consequences on Abians, would at all times be taken in conjunction with majority of Abians and his allies. Such decisions must be justified and be seen to be in the overriding interest of Abia people,” he added.

He further explained that Otti is currently focused on governance and not 2027 politics.

He said, “Governor Otti strongly holds the view that though political activities seem to have once again started gathering momentum, it would be unfair to the Abia electorate if politics of 2027, instead of governance, is allowed to dominate discussions less than two years into the administration.

Governor Otti remains a member of the Labour Party and is presently not planning or discussing with anyone to defect to the APC or any other party for that matter, as falsely alleged.”

[Punch]

The PDP governors are queuing up to jump into the APC. They say their ship is sinking. They are singing and dancing and justifying their capitulation as nation-building. The PDP once thought it was the greatest party in Africa. These are trying times on all fronts. The conspiracy of the ruling class could be the final straw. 

Indeed the PDP had been infected by a debilitating human virus. I need not name the motormouthed  Nebuchadnezzar. The man who planted the moles who have been used to debilitate that party. But some of the governors weren’t motivated by imminent political homelessness, they were threatened to submission. Some others only had to see the juicy carrot of a no-contest reelection to reconsider their relationship with the dying PDP. Bakare said the destruction of the opposition was the deliberate handiwork of political bandits led by the president. Tinubu, many now say, is driving Nigeria down a one-party slope. Tinubu’s priority is political conquest.   For the discerning, the future is concerning. 

A one-party state is a literal civilian dictatorship. Nigeria’s eastern neighbour, Cameroon, has a certain geriatric called Paul Biya as president. He has been the leader of that poor country since time immemorial. After eliminating his opponents, he devised a strain of multiparty democracy with the ruling party as an indomitable lion and he, the owner of the lion.  He stages regular elections to justify his perpetual presidency.  Many of his critics are in jail. Most of the time, he is in a hotel in Geneva. Sometimes, for three-month stretches, he lives in Switzerland, ostensibly on work visits. That is where he says he finds the peace to work. Paul Biya lives in opulence, indolence and paranoia. And Cameroon, now cracking, has endured severe growth retardation. 

Nigeria needs to look at Tinubu and look critically across the border to the east and recoil.  These cavorting politicians waving flags of surrender with pomp and pageantry could be the first victims. The former presidents, governors, and ministers might think that the grass will bear the brunt. But Cameroon is a vivid cautionary tale. Paul Biya chased Ahidjo into exile. Then he eliminated most of the big men. That’s what authoritarianism breeds. Summoning the populace into Tinubu the Tinubu bandwagon might seem a smart move today. But inevitability, paranoia, and gossip will collaborate to pick out and liquidate the early victims from the uppermost echelon. History might be kinder to Paul Biya. He ascended the throne when autocracy was rife in Africa. What shall we say of Tinubu, the prodemocracy activist who came when democracy was the norm 

Bakare has described a total emasculation of the parliament by the deft imposition of enterprising and often comical lackeys. They raise songs of adulation to worship the president when he comes to the parliament. The parliament was once described as a rubber stamp. But It is now more servile and less passive. It has the same quality of obsequious servility, but it no longer waits to be used, to be called upon to render abject service. It marches around searching for new ways, including bending the rules and sabotaging the Constitution to prove its subservience to the president. 

Bakare didn’t dwell on the courts. Perhaps with the parliament in the president’s back pocket, the president is technically above the law. After all, he can very easily disregard the courts. The only body that can sanction him has sworn to serve him. The courts are a little fortunate. This president pretends to be a Democrat. So he perhaps spares the courts public humiliation. Rather than allow himself to disobey the law of the judges, he can make sure the judges understand his philosophy. So they work harmoniously. He has a certain man nicknamed POS Africa and a few others who have certified expertise for that liaison. This president may never have to disobey a court. The courts can be retrofitted and synchronized to fly at the same altitude as the executive. By the time the  judges realize the damage, by the time a one-party state arrives, the judges would have gone from  being judicial merchants to no more than errand boys at the temple of the chosen one 

Like Bakare reminded the lawmakers and governors, no man is good enough or wise enough to be entrusted with absolute power. One-party rule has brought prosperity to a few countries. But it hasn’t worked anywhere in Africa. It might require a sense of shared nationhood, which doesn’t exist in most countries created by white imperialists. The impetus to work hard to be validated by the electorate won’t exist. The electorate will become detached and accustomed to the grossness. In a fragile multi-ethnic Nigeria, sick with tribalism, a one-party state will ultimately lead to marginalization, disenchantment and disintegration. Tinubu should know that. But will  Babasopecracy, which is his preferred democratic model, allow him some room for sober reflection?  Tinubu is preoccupied with political conquests. Bakare says Tinubu has ordained opportunism as the political philosophy of the conniving ruling class. 

Bakare says Tinubu is playing God. Tinubu’s brazen nepotism, cronyism and tribalism could all be elements of the God complex. Being answerable to no one. We could actually have misunderstood omniscience and omnipotence and questioned his disregard for equity and fairness. The sinister plot to wreck the opposition, demolish dissent, and corral the masses into a single party in some form of political monotheism could all be mortal designs of a motor park chairman. But Tinubu ‘s tendency to order reforms he won’t be bound by, travel to France to work from there for weeks and suspend a governor on a whim all fit into the God psychology. 

Pastor Bakare was courageous. Other pastors have gone mute. They are praying and fasting for good governance. They do not want to use their anointed heads to collect a wasp. Many erstwhile crusaders of social justice, democracy and good governance have lost their voices. Pastor Bakare was incisive. He didn’t powder the boil. And he didn’t just lacerate Tinubu and his friends; he pointed them to the path of redemption. Bakare asked Tinubu to think like the biblical Joseph, who planned an economy for good and bad days for the benefit of the people, transforming Egypt into a booming and resilient nation. 

Bakare wants  Tinubu to have a compelling vision which he can sell to all Nigerians to restore hope. He wants Tinubu to lead by personal examples. He wants Tinubu to discard hubris, embrace humility, and pursue reconciliation and national unity. He wants Tinubu to overhaul his team and find Joseph-type leaders to replace the hyenas in his cabinet. Bakare, like a good pastor, left many prescriptions. But he was emphatic that without a change of attitude to promote social justice, moral politics and good governance, Tinubu may become a god but his kingdom shall not endure.

 The world turns its eyes to Rome today as leaders from across the globe and millions of mourners prepare to bid farewell to Pope Francis, whose death on Monday at the age of 88 has left a profound void in the Catholic Church and beyond.

The funeral, which will commence at about 10 a.m. local time in St. Peter’s Square, is expected to draw an extraordinary mix of political power, religious devotion, and global attention. 

Though Pope Francis requested a simple burial — with a plain wooden coffin and an unmarked tomb at Santa Maria Maggiore, his favorite church — the scale of the gathering reflects his vast influence.

—A Quiet Burial, A Loud Legacy

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, spent his papacy championing the poor, advocating for migrants, and calling for action on climate change.

His humility defined his leadership — and now, it defines his farewell. Rejecting the grandeur traditionally afforded to popes, he will be buried away from the usual tombs beneath St. Peter’s Basilica.

Despite the low-key nature of the rites, more than 170 foreign dignitaries are attending, including dozens of heads of state, royal family members, and religious figures. 

Security is tight, and Vatican officials are coordinating what is likely to be one of the most diplomatically complex funerals in recent history.

A Global Crossroads

Among those in attendance is former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had a famously rocky relationship with the pope. Still, Trump calls him “a very good man” and orders flags flown at half-staff. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is also present, following recent tensions with the Vatican over the pope’s call for negotiations in the ongoing war with Russia.

The two leaders, who clashed in a tense White House meeting in February, are set to share the same venue for the first time since. Though they are seated apart, Zelenskyy has requested a private meeting with Trump, a request that remains unconfirmed.

The United Kingdom is represented by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince William. King Charles, in a statement, calls Pope Francis a “man of profound compassion.” 

Other major leaders in attendance include France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Brazil’s President Lula da Silva, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and India’s President Droupadi Murmu.

Absent, but Not Forgotten

Notably missing from the ceremony are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, both currently under international arrest warrants related to war crimes. Their absence, though expected, underscores the political subtext woven into the solemn occasion.

A Pope for the People

Pope Francis’s reach extended well beyond the Church. In Brazil, the Philippines, and throughout Latin America, millions are watching the funeral live, many holding vigils or attending local masses in his honor. 

From the slums of Buenos Aires to the corridors of the United Nations, his message of mercy and social justice struck a chord with believers and non-believers alike.

Today, as the world gathers in grief, it also honors a man who changed what it meant to be pope in the 21st century — and who leaves behind a legacy that will continue to shape faith, politics, and global conscience for years to come.

[Vanguard]

A few days ago, I had a conversation with one of the senior leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was in London for a medical check-up. During our meeting, I sought his views on the latest developments in the party and who will likely emerge as the presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections. His response: “As you are aware, the PDP governors already said they won’t be part of any coalition but will rebuild the party into a formidable opposition. Well, if they are able to keep the party together and Atiku didn’t join the SDP, he is our best bet for now.”

The next question is, does Atiku stand a chance against a master political strategist and sitting president like President Bola Tinubu, who will likely seek reelection for another term? My host replied, “Yes, I think he stands a chance when you consider (President Bola) Tinubu’s abysmal performance and the opposition from the North, especially on issues relating to anti-North policies and (alleged) marginalisation. Don’t forget, Tinubu got the support of the majority of the northern governors to win the APC presidential ticket in 2022. They also worked massively for him in the 2023 presidential election.”

He continued, “However, even Tinubu knows that many of the northern governors and lawmakers are unhappy with him over the tax reform bill and other policies and will work against him, even though they may be shouting ‘Sai Tinubu’ in public now. I believe Atiku is in talks with Peter Obi, and he wants a repeat of the joint ticket they had in 2019. Obi has a huge followership among the youths, who constitute a greater percentage of the voting populace. If Obi can bring that to the table and Atiku also delivers the North and some southern states, then the deal is done. Tinubu will also want to consolidate his base in the South. So, it is likely going to be a north vs south contest.”

After our meeting, so many thoughts kept ringing in my head, especially the ‘north vs south’ contest which he mentioned. How does that bode for Nigeria’s unity? We are yet to recover from the deep-seated animosity and ethnic rivalries that permeated the entire landscape during the last general elections, and now some people are ready to deepen it further with a north vs south political battle. Just recently, these leaders in their Easter and Sallah messages enjoined Nigerians to shun division and embrace unity and co-existence. They also called for a renewed sense of national cohesion and empathy while also urging the citizens to rise above divisions and work collectively towards peace and progress in the country. Yet, because of insatiable lust for power, these same people are prepared to throw that unity to the wastebin and are scheming towards an election that will further polarise an already divided country.

Let me begin with Atiku, Nigeria’s vice president from 1999 to 2007 during the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency. Atiku has been contesting presidential elections since 1993, and he is likely to do so again in 2027. Unlike before, when he jetted off to Dubai after elections and resurfaced after four years, Atiku has played the role of an opposition figure very well since the conclusion of the 2023 elections, constantly checkmating every decision taken by the Tinubu administration. However, from a candid point of view, Atiku’s desire to become Nigeria’s president is driven more by desperation than patriotism. He mouths the need for unity in the country on festive occasions, but in his heart, he is ready to jettison that unity for his selfish ambition.

The last presidential election reinforced my belief that Atiku is not a nationalist as he claims. There is an unwritten agreement that power should rotate between the north and south in the spirit of fairness, equity and justice. After a northerner, Muhammadu Buhari, was about to complete two terms of eight years, Atiku, who is from the northern state of Adamawa, threw his hat in the ring. If Atiku had won the election and served two terms, it would mean the north would have been in power for 16 consecutive years. How will that engender unity in a heavily polarised country? Will Atiku, in his heart of hearts, allow another southerner to become president after another southerner has completed eight years? Despite winning the presidential ticket of the PDP, Atiku’s party was heavily polarised, and he lost the main election. Just like he did with the Biblical Pharaoh, God ‘hardened’ the heart of Atiku, and he refused all the entreaties of party stakeholders, especially the G-5 governors led by Nyesom Wike. The rest, as they say, is history.

Atiku, who will be 80 years old in 2027, lost two golden opportunities to become Nigeria’s president. The first was in 2003 when the majority of the governors of the then ruling party, PDP, agreed to back him in the party’s presidential primary against his principal, Olusegun Obasanjo. The old, wily Obasanjo knew he had to stoop in order to conquer, and he did just that – he knelt down before Atiku and begged him to allow him to run for a second term.

Giving a vivid picture of what transpired then, Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, as published by TheCable in the August 3, 2018 edition, said: “Before the PDP primaries in January 2003, Obasanjo got everyone he knew could reach me on the surface of the earth, including Yemi Ogunbiyi and my son, to get me to help him intercede when it was clear that (Abubakar) Atiku was in a position to take his job. He knew Atiku had a lot of regard for me and called me ‘Uncle’.

“The pressure was intense. Of course, I could not have knelt before Atiku, not to embark on a course of action that would lead to his boss’ disgrace. But I can confirm to you that Obasanjo, as president, knelt down before Atiku so that he would not lose his job. But I warned Atiku that for making Obasanjo kneel down for you, be sure you would have to pay heavily for that. I guess my warning came to pass if you remember Atiku’s dramatic change of fortune once Obasanjo was sworn in for a second term of office.”

The second golden opportunity missed by Atiku was in the last presidential election when Atiku refused entreaties by major stakeholders in the PDP to respect the zoning formula in the party, which states that the presidential candidate and national chairman cannot come from the same region. Atiku is from the North-East (Adamawa), while the then national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, is from the north-central (Benue). The director-general of the presidential campaign, Aminu Tambuwal, is also from the north-west (Sokoto). In the interest of unity, the stakeholders want Ayu to resign so that another chairman from the southern part of the country can step in, but Atiku disagreed.

Also, the PDP stakeholders pleaded with Atiku to field Wike as his running mate. After a series of meetings both locally and abroad, Atiku breached the agreement and settled for Ifeanyi Okowa, the immediate past governor of Delta State. Now, Okowa has dumped Atiku and the PDP and has gone to pitch his tent with President Tinubu’s APC.

Speaking on Channels Television recently, Governor Seyi Makinde said the PDP also made a grave mistake by handing the presidential ticket, national chairman slot, and office of the director general of the presidential campaign to members from the northern region only. He said the exclusion of southerners from the three major slots dealt a self-inflicted blow to the PDP, which culminated in the loss suffered by the party in the poll.

How can you breach the rotation agreement between the north and south as well as the zoning formula within your party, and then convince Nigerians that you have the capability to unite the country? That is food for thought for Alhaji Atiku.

As for President Tinubu, he granted an interview in the ThisDay publication of April 13th, 1997, where he declared that ‘I don’t believe in One Nigeria’. The interview resurfaced online during the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, but his loyalists claimed that he was quoted out of context, especially when you consider the fact that as governor of Lagos State, he ran a pan-Nigerian cabinet which included many non-Yoruba-speaking people.

However, since becoming president, questions have been raised about his appointments, which some Nigerians believe are heavily skewed in favour of the south-west. To counter this, his media aides released the list of ‘all’ the appointments made by the president, but also quickly withdrew it after many loopholes were discovered. Sunday Dare promised to provide an updated list very soon, but he has yet to do so three weeks later.

Having lost Lagos, Osun, Enugu, Akwa-Ibom, Edo, Abia, Plateau, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Anambra and Imo in the 2023 presidential election, President Tinubu cannot afford to take chances again if he desires to seek re-election in 2027. It is glaring that many of the northern stakeholders who worked for him in the 2023 presidential election will not do so again. This singular reason explains the recent actions taken by the president in Lagos during the Obasa impeachment imbroglio. Tinubu weighed the political value of Obasa on one hand and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the 36 lawmakers on the other. His verdict? Obasa, one of his die-hard loyalists, has more political value than Sanwo-Olu and the lawmakers. He therefore did everything possible to restore Obasa to his position.

The president also did the same in Rivers during the battle between the former governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, who is now the minister of the FCT, and the current governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Many analysts believe that Tinubu sided with Wike, especially given the fact that only Fubara was suspended for six months while Wike remained in office. Last week, it was reported that Fubara met with the president in London, and they allegedly had an agreement that Fubara’s sins would be forgiven if he joins the APC. Now, Delta state is already in the kitty with the defection of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Okowa. We are also told to expect more defections into the APC in the days ahead.

If things continue this way, then, as rightly predicted, the 2027 presidential election will be a serious battle between the north and south, a complete departure from the June 12, 1993 presidential election, which to date remains the freest, fairest and most credible election in Nigeria’s history. Is that the future our leaders desire for our beloved country and generations unborn?

Akinsuyi, former group politics editor of Daily Independent, currently studies sustainability communications strategies at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has delisted four computer-based test centres for failing to meet the required technical standards during the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The affected centres are Adventure Associate, located off Hadejia Road in Kano, Kano; Saadatu Rimi College of Education on Zaria Road, Naibawa, Kano; and Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd’s Centres 1 and 2, both situated at 96km on the Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal.

Fabian Benjamin, the board’s spokesperson, said JAMB commended the 883 centres that have shown exceptional performance.

It, however, warned that any centre that falls below the ethical or technical standards will be blacklisted.

JAMB stated that candidates previously scheduled to take their exams at the delisted centres are to reprint their slips for new centres and dates.

The board revealed that as of Friday, April 25, 2025, over 900,000 out of 2,083,600 candidates have completed their UTME.

JAMB also revealed that 27 impersonators were apprehended during the exams and have been handed over to the police for immediate prosecution.

Among other issues, the board condemned the unauthorised restrictions imposed on candidates wearing hijabs at Caleb University.

In response to the incident, the board claimed it was “the result of an overzealous security officer”.

It added that the university’s vice-chancellor condemned the act.

JAMB apologised to the affected candidates and commended the leadership of the centre and university for their intervention.

The 2025 UTME commenced on April 24.

[TheCable]