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‘We walked through the valley of death,’ Stranded train passenger shares ordeal in Kogi forest
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Train passengers from Delta State were stranded for hours on Wednesday after the train travelling through Kogi State broke down in a forest.
Kola Edokpayi, who was among the stranded passengers, took to Facebook on Wednesday to explain the ordeal.
According to him, he had opted to travel by train from Agbor, Delta State to Itakpe, Kogi State after being unable to secure a flight to Abuja.
However, the journey took a dramatic turn when the train developed technical issues in a location he described as an “evil forest,” devoid of mobile network coverage and surrounded by cattle herders.
His caption read, “I couldn’t get a flight to Abuja today, I decided to board a train from Agbor to Itakpe, Kogi State en route Abuja.
“On getting to an evil forest without network in Kogi, the train developed technical issues that couldn’t be fixed immediately.
“Passengers became apprehensive while stranded in the forest dominated by Fulani herders and their cows.”
As panic grew among passengers, Edokpayi said many opted to begin an “endurance trek” through the forest in a desperate bid to reach a nearby town or train station.
The trek reportedly lasted for over three hours, with elderly passengers struggling and some near collapse.
“We decided to embark upon an endurance trek to quickly get to town. We trekked for more than three hours and are still trekking to the train station.
“What interests me is that all the Fulani herders in the forest we encountered were so friendly and they assisted us while we were navigating the evil forest,” he said.
In a follow-up post on Thursday after arriving in Abuja, Edokpayi described the experience as “terrible and horrific.”
He likened the journey to a biblical test of faith, quoting Psalm 23:4 to describe how he found comfort while trekking through what he called “the valley of the shadow of death.”
He wrote, “Thank God for safe arrival in Abuja this morning. It was a terrible and horrific experience in the wilderness.
“While embarking upon the unsolicited endurance trek, I took solace in the book of Psalm 23:4, which says ‘Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.'”
He narrated how they got exhausted from trekking and how an elderly man almost died in the forest.
Edokpayi wrote, “Having trekked for hours, I became sinewless with no water to drink to resuscitate myself, we kept on trekking in the forest until we saw bike riders coming with bikes, they told us point-blank that they wanted to go and rescue their co-workers who were also stranded in the forest.
“An old man who trekked with us for about 30 minutes almost died, we had to assist him to be alive. Thank God that he is alive to share the testimony of what God did for him and other travellers.”
Eventually, the group encountered motorcyclists and rescue vehicles heading toward the stranded train.
With the last of their strength, Edokpayi said, passengers rushed to board the vehicles and were taken to safety.
He wrote, “The genuine Fulani cattle herders in the forest were very friendly. We give thanks to God that at the time of the unsolicited endurance trek in the forest, the terroristic bandits were in deep slumber.
“We trekked to almost where there was a hill before we sighted vehicles coming to pick up passengers. At that point, we started rushing into the vehicles with the last strength. Thank God that we all arrived at our various destinations safely.”
While grateful for the safe outcome, the man criticised the state of Nigeria’s transport infrastructure, warning that the incident could have ended in tragedy.
He wrote, “The Federal Government needs to be proactive enough to ensure that the trains are in a better state for the safety of passengers.
“Airline operators go dey cancel flight anyhow, we fear kidnappers for road wey still bad. Train dey spoil for evil forest dominated by herders.
“Make God continue to help us ooo in Bongo. Welcome to Bongo, the heartbeat of abracadabra.
“I don kawalelogran for train oooo until government address the issue. The fear of train for me is the beginning of wisdom.”
[Punch]
The Presidency has apologised for the errors in the list of appointments released to counter the narrative about President Bola Tinubu’s alleged lopsided appointments.
The President’s appointments have been a topic of conversation lately as opposition politicians accuse him of favouring his tribesmen and women over Nigerians from other ethnic groups.
In a recent interview with Arise Television, Senator Ali Ndume, an APC lawmaker representing Borno South, accused the President of violating the federal character principle in his appointments.
Ndume said he decided to call the President’s attention to his ‘lopsided appointment’ because, as a lawmaker, he has the right to criticize the President even though they belong to the same party.
To counter the allegation, the Presidency released a list of President Tinubu’s appointees and their geo-political zones.
The list showed that the President had appointed 29 people from the South West, his home region, 35 from the North West, 22 from the South-South, 16 from the South East, 25 from North Central and 24 from the North East.
However, the President’s critics have pointed out that the list was not comprehensive, as the name of a major appointee from the President’s home region was missing.
The omission of the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, from the list further strengthened the regional imbalance narrative against President Tinubu’s administration, as the list clearly showed that the South East is highly underrepresented in his government.
As the document sparked debate on social media, Sunday Dare, the Special Adviser, Media & Public Communication/Spokesperson to the President, has tendered an apology for the errors in the list.
“We have noticed a number of errors in the list of appointments tweeted. We are sorry. We will provide an updated list later. Thank you,” Dare appealed to Nigerians on X.
However, Dare did not explain why Gbajabiamila’s name was omitted from the list.
The Nigerian presidency has continued to debunk the claim by Senator Ali Ndume who alleged that President Bola Tinubu’s appointment since assuming office was lopsided.Nigerian cultural tours
Recall that Ndune in a recent interview had said that appointments by the Tinubu’s administration were mainly from the Southwest region.
The lawmaker also accused the president of violating the principles of the Federal Character.
However, in a reaction to Ndume’s allegation, Sunday Dare, an aide to the president said Tinubu is a detribalized leader.
Dare said, “His antecedents before he even became president speak to this fact. As Lagos Governor, President Tinubu populated his government with competent hands both from within and outside Lagos not minding which tribe you come from.”
He noted that Tinubu has remained the same and he is not blinded by tribe or religion.
He also stated that a lot of people have failed to examine recent appointments made by the presidents and that it is too early to conclude that Tinubu’s appointments are lopsided.
Continuing, Dare said that a review shows the president is on track as far as Federal character is concerned.
“A glance at this list of 134 federal appointments shows that the Northern part of this country has a total of 71 appointments compared to 63 for the entire South.
“When you break down the 63 positions given to the South, the South West leads marginally with 26 slots while the South-South has 21 positions. The South East with five states has 16 positions,” he said.
He added that an unbiased analysis of the appointments made by the president will show Nigerians that there is no cause for alarm
A chieftain of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) Buba Galadima has slammed former President Muhammadu Buhari for allegedly not paying his daughter during the time she worked for him.Nigerian political art prints
Speaking on AIT’s Jigsaw program watched by Politics Nigeria, the politician said he was treated badly by the former president who was also his friend.
“We are friends and will continue to be friends, if I want anything from him, I will ask,” Galadima said about Buhari.
Continuing, he said his daughter had called the former president after they graduated from school and were unemployed for a long time.
“In fact let me confess to you on television, my daughter did NYSC, the one who lost her passport. That’s why she wanted us to go to Mecca to thank God.
He said his daughter searched for a job in the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) but could not get one and decided to call the president.
Galadima noted his daughter and her sister at that time scrolled through his phone contacts,saw the president’s phone number and decided to call him.
According to him, the former president picked the call thinking it was him calling.Political candidate merchandiseNigerian political art prints
“Then they said they are my children and they were calling him because country hard.
“They said, Baba country hard oo! Our father cannot get any job for us oo! And he told us that you’re his friend,” he said.
To this, Galadima said the president affirmed that they were friends and the younger daughter further explained to the president that she could not get a job with the NUPRC
“He (the president) just asked, to call Komolafe (the DG of NUPRC) and give my friend’s daughter a job. That was why she wanted to go to Mecca – to thank God and even to thank Mr President,” the NNPP chieftain noted.
He explained that he worked for former President Muhammadu Buhari for 13 years while his daughter worked for four years.
“My daughter worked for him for four years and he instructed that she should not be paid salary.
“Let them bring any voucher where she was paid. She worked for Buhari for four years in Osinbajo’s office without payment,” he added.
Asked why his daughter was not paid a salary, Galadima advised the interviewer to go and ask former President Buhari.
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has started a grassroots campaign to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, openly rejecting other likely contenders such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
The governor made the declaration on Wednesday in Benin City during a ceremony to welcome Hon. Kaycee Osamwonyi, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), into the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The 2027 presidential election is not far off, and here in Edo, we are already getting to work.
“We’ve begun early mobilisation for President Tinubu’s second term. Our resolve is clear: the APC remains the path forward for sustainable development,” Okpebholo said.
He also hinted that more opposition members would soon join the APC, calling the movement “a carnival of political realignment.”
Hon. Osamwonyi, who represents Uhunmwonde State Constituency and serves on the House Budget and Appropriation Committee, was first received by APC State Chairman Jarrett Tenebe before meeting the governor.
“We are excited to welcome you home,” Okpebholo told the lawmaker. “Your return, along with others, has strengthened our base and opened a new chapter of unity and progress in Edo APC.”
He added: “Uhunmwonde is close to my heart. Together, we will unlock its development potential and bring real impact to the people.”
The governor also urged young people to get involved in politics, stressing the importance of youth inclusion and loyalty to the party.
Nigeria’s next general election is scheduled for 2027. President Tinubu is expected to seek a second term. His main challengers from the 2023 election—Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and Peter Obi of the Labour Party—are also expected to run again, despite growing talks of a possible opposition coalition.
In the last few days, governorship candidates have emerged from various parties in Anambra ahead of the state’s governorship election on November 8.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had set April 10 as the deadline for all political parties to conduct their governorship primaries ahead of the election.
Here’s everything you need to know about the candidates who have emerged.
AFRICAN ACTION CONGRESS (AAC)
Chioma Ifemeludike was elected as the candidate for the AAC after the party’s primary election on Tuesday.
She was unanimously elected through a voice vote by members of the congress.
In her acceptance speech, Ifemeludike promised not to disappoint the trust bestowed on her by party supporters.
She said the party would ensure that the people of Anambra — particularly women, children, and youths — are empowered to become better citizens.
Oshiokhe Ikpeminoghena, chairman of the election committee, said it is the party’s constitutional responsibility to field a candidate for the election.
He added that Ifemeludike fulfilled every necessary step that qualified her to run for the Anambra governorship election.
ACCORD PARTY
Charles Onyeze emerged as the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in the primary election held on Tuesday.
He was declared the winner unopposed during the party’s primary held at the East End Hotel, Aroma, Awka, the state capital.
The exercise was witnessed by thousands of party chieftains, members, INEC, security, and the media.
Speaking to journalists shortly after the exercise, Onyeze said he is contesting the election to address the current challenges of unemployment, insecurity, and a poor educational system in Anambra state.
“I’d like us to work as a family. Our interest is for Anambra to be better because what we’re seeing today is not good. What we’ll need to defeat the ruling party is not a problem. We have what it takes,” he said.
“My administration will ensure that no local government or community is overlooked in our developmental efforts.”
ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESS
Nicholas Ukachukwu, a former member of the house of representatives, secured the APC gubernatorial ticket for the Anambra governorship election.
Ukachukwu clinched the ticket at the party’s primary election on Saturday, defeating his closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo, and other contenders by a landslide.
He polled 1,455 votes, while Ozigbo secured 67 votes. Edozie Madu and Johnbosco Onunkwo got 8 and 26 votes, respectively.
Speaking after his victory, Ukachukwu pledged to deliver the state to the APC.
“We shall deliver Anambra to the APC. One thing I want to say here — nobody has won the governorship of Anambra without my support; it has never happened before,” he said.
“I have been playing godfatherism, but now I want to be the father of the father — no more godfather.”
ALL PROGRESSIVES GRAND ALLIANCE (APGA)
Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra governor, was nominated as the APGA candidate for the upcoming governorship election.
Soludo, who was returned unopposed, secured over 3,000 votes in the primary held on Saturday at the Ekwueme Square, Awka.
Voting took place across the 21 LGAs of the state, where delegates were asked to cast a simple “yes” or “no” vote.
Soludo accepted the nomination and assured party members of continued development in the state.
“I want to say that I am humbled by this historic display of solidarity to be able to raise the flag of our party again, and I want to say that I accept this nomination wholeheartedly,” he said.
“Anambra keeps rising with the progressive leadership that we have had through APGA, and I will continue to appreciate the leadership of the party.”
LABOUR PARTY (LP)
George Moghalu emerged as the LP’s candidate for the upcoming Anambra governorship election after the party’s primary election was held on Saturday in Awka.
Moghalu, a former managing director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), secured 575 votes to defeat John Nwosu, his only opponent, who garnered 19 votes.
Out of 649 delegates listed, 601 were accredited, with 592 valid votes recorded and five votes declared invalid.
However, Nwosu withdrew from the race a day earlier, citing several “irregularities” for his decision.
“There was no delegates congress of the party held in any of the 21 local government areas of the state to elect the delegates to vote at the primary election, and a list of delegates eventually emerged and was pasted at the state headquarters of the party in Awka, just about eight hours to the D-Day, Saturday, April 5, 2025,” he said in a statement.
In his acceptance speech, Moghalu said unity among party stakeholders would be crucial to securing victory at the polls.
“I am ready for the challenge ahead. With my experience in public service and politics, I am confident in my capacity to defeat the incumbent, Governor Chukwuma Soludo of APGA,” he said.
“We must now get to work on selling the LP agenda to the people of Anambra. Our goal is to reach every nook and cranny of the state with our message.
“Anambra is a blessed state with abundant human and natural resources. All that is required is visionary leadership to harness these potentials for the benefit of our people.”
PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP)
Jude Ezenwafor, the sole aspirant, secured the PDP’s ticket for the Anambra governorship election.
The PDP governorship primary was held on Tuesday at the Professor Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre in Awka, the state capital.
Chijioke Onwubuya, chairman of the PDP Anambra governorship election congress committee, announced Ezenwafor as the party’s flagbearer at the end of the exercise.
Onwubuya said Ezenwafor secured 798 ‘yes’ votes with 26 invalid votes, noting that 853 delegates were accredited out of the 999 on the list for the congress.
Speaking after his victory, Ezenwafor said the PDP is on a rescue mission in Anambra and urged voters to support the party’s bid to reclaim leadership in the state.
“If you support me, the dream will come true. They say PDP is dead, but I will prove them wrong,” he said.
“All LGA and ward chairmen are now automatic coordinators in their areas.
“Our journey to the government house has begun.”
PARTIES BRACE FOR FIERCE CAMPAIGN SEASON
With the conclusion of party primaries, the stage is now set for what promises to be a fiercely contested race.
With campaigns expected to intensify in the coming months, attention will turn to how these candidates plan to address pressing issues such as insecurity, unemployment, and infrastructure development in the state.
For voters, the election offers another opportunity to shape Anambra’s future; and for the candidates, it is a race not just for power but for the people’s trust.
[TheCable]
Central American migrants in the United States sent home around 20 percent more in remittances in the first quarter of 2025, official data showed this week, a trend economists said reflected their fear of deportation by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Nearly one-quarter of the GDP of impoverished Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua is made up of money sent from US-based migrants to relatives in their homelands.
Guatemala’s central bank said this week it had recorded $5.64 billion in remittances in the first quarter, a 20.5 percent increase over the same period in 2024.
Honduras’s central bank, for its part, said the country received $2.62 billion, a 24 percent increase on the first quarter of 2024.
El Salvador and Nicaragua do not yet have complete data for the first quarter, but in January and February, remittances to both countries increased by 14.2 percent and 22.6 percent respectively, compared to the same months in 2024.
El Salvador received $1.4 billion and Nicaragua $909 million in the first two months of 2025, according to their central banks.
In Nicaragua, the figure includes remittances not only from the United States, but also from Costa Rica ($68.2 million) and Spain ($48.6 million).
The president of Guatemala’s central bank, Alvaro Gonzalez, attributed the increase in remittances to migrants’ fear of being deported from the United States.
Guatemalan economic analyst Erick Coyoy took a similar view, telling local media that the surge was “an anticipated reaction by migrants to the perceived risk of deportation.”
It is unclear, however, whether they sent more money home to ensure that, if deported, they would be able to access their savings or whether it was to help their relatives benefit from their situation in the United States while they can.
Trump returned to the White House in January on a promise to conduct the biggest wave of migrant deportations in US history.
Fearing deportation, some migrants from Central and South America have cut short their journeys to the United States and returned home.
The senior pastor of the Fountain of Life church, Jimmy Odukoya, has reiterated that God instructed him not to cut his dreadlocks.
The Nollywood actor cum clergyman in a recent sermon recalled seeking divine clarity about his appearance before resuming pastoral duties at the church.
Jimmy, who succeeded his late father, Taiwo Odukoya, said his sister had raised concerns about how his hairstyle might affect public perception, and he told her to pray about it.
Odukoya also narrated how God used his dreadlocks to save a woman who travelled from Zimbabwe to Nigeria to attend service.
He said, “Before I came back, one of the things I asked the Lord was whether or not I should cut my hair. And the Lord told me not to cut my hair.
“I knew what God had said to me so I told my sister to go pray and that God will speak to her. She goes back and told me I wasn’t supposed to cut my hair, to which I replied, ‘I know, because God already told me.
“A couple of weeks ago, someone had come to see me all the way from Zimbabwe just to come to church. I said please bring the lady in and she begins to tell me her story.
“She says, ‘People think I’m crazy. I told everybody I am coming to Nigeria for the next three to four weeks. I’m just coming to church’.
“She says, ‘It was 2016, I was in New York, it was Thanksgiving and I had a vision, it felt so real. In this vision, I see you with your hair and you’re speaking to me and I have been dealing with somethings in my life.
“There was this dog on my shoulder. I knew the dog represented the weight I was carrying and you had this long sword. You began speaking to me and it looked like thunder and lightning was coming out of the sword and it burnt the dog into ashes. And you began to declare over me and gave certain instructions’.
“She said, ‘Fast forward 2025, after that vision I went through a tough break-up, I lost everything in a divorce. My ex took the house.’ She said, ‘Everything I worked for… It was a tough time. To compound issues, my mom got sick and I watched her die in my arms’.
“She said she was trying to find God so she went on YouTube to hear sermons. And all of a sudden my preaching popped up.
“And she said, ‘You don’t understand, because when I had this vision, I didn’t know you existed. The person I saw, I did not know it was a real person. So when I saw the man from the vision with a long hair I screamed. I didn’t know any pastor would have long hair.
“The God who sees, hears and knows, knew at some point in February 2025, one of His children will have to see a man preaching. Guess what? If He did not ask me to keep my hair, I would have cut it.
“And when I popped up on the screen, she would have seen me with no hair and it would have meant nothing. God was making me keep my hair to save a life.”
The Rivers State Sole Administrator Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) came under scathing criticisms on Wednesday following the sacking of the 23 local government caretakers and the head of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
The caretakers were replaced with administrators in the 23 LGAS in the state, while the RSIEC chairman, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), was replaced by Dr Michael Odey.
Odey will work with six members, four of whom are professors.
This came less than 24 hours after a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt ordered Ibas to appear before it to justify why the court should not grant a motion seeking to stop him from appointing administrators for the 23 LGAs.
Parents Tackle Ogun School Over Incisions On Students’ Bodies
Justice Adamu Muhammed issued the order on Tuesday in suit no. FHC/PH/CS/46/2025, filed by PILEX Centre for Civic Education Initiative, led by Courage Msirimovu, against the Sole Administrator.
Ibas’s decision was contained in a special government announcement issued on Wednesday by the Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Prof. Ibibia Worika.
The statement read, “His Excellency, the Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (retd.) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, has approved the appointments of Administrators for the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.
“He has also approved the reconstitution of some boards of agencies, commissions, and parastatals, earlier suspended. All appointments take effect from Monday, the 7th of April 2025.”
Last week, the sole administrator suspended all heads of ministries, departments and agencies in the state.
In a separate development, Ibas also cancelled all pending procurement and tender processes carried out by ministries, departments and agencies in the state.
He said the cancellation became necessary following the Supreme Court judgment and the absence of an appropriation law within the period.
The sole administrator, according to a previous statement also issued by the SSG, directed all MDAs that carried out such tender processes for projects in their respective offices to refund such fees to the respective contractors immediately.
Ibas also approved the appointment of chairmen and members of the civil service and local government service commission.
Reacting to the appointments, Governor Siminilayi Fubara’s Special Adviser on Electronic Media, Jerry Omatsogunwa, described the development as impunity taken too far.
Omatsogunwa said Ibas had become a lord unto himself by his actions, especially as a court had summoned him over the appointments.
He expressed happiness that the National Assembly has faulted the planned budget preparation that the sole administrator talked about recently.
The governor’s aide stated, “Well, we have seen impunity ‘pro-max’ in Rivers State, and I think the National Assembly had also said that the budget presentation that he said he was preparing will not stand because that is not the purpose for which he was sent here.
“And the court has asked him not to do anything and to come and answer. You know the rest of the story; 23 names were released as administrators of the LGAs signed by him (Ibas).
“So, for me, it is impunity taken too far. He is now a lord unto himself, and we cannot have that in a democratic setting. I think all well-meaning Rivers people must condemn such acts by the sole administrator, and it will not stand at the end of the day. “
Ibas dismantling democratic structure – PANDEF
The National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Amb Godknows Igali, berated Ibas for dissolving the democratic structure in the state.
In a letter to the sole administrator, he frowned on what he termed the undemocratic steps he has taken so far in the state.
Igali said he observed “A systematic tearing down of various structures, which are important for the continued building and consolidation of democracy in Rivers State right now taking place under your watch.”
Igali, in the open letter issued on Wednesday, stated that more troubling was the “unbelievable level of dismantling, disassembling, and razing down all the institutions of democracy that have been in existence in the state.”
The retired diplomat flayed the removal of the photographs of the elected governor from all offices when he had not yet been removed from office.
He added, “This I saw first-hand at the Port Harcourt International Airport, where I often pass through and was told this was at the behest of your administration. On inquiry, I was told that this has happened in all other government offices around the state.
“Beyond that is your most recent decision to suspend the boards of existing statutory institutions such as the State Independent Electoral Commission, governing councils of tertiary institutions, and even the revered traditional rulers council.’’
“I do not claim to be an expert on constitutional matters but as one who has been atop in the country’s bureaucracy and from best global practices around the world which I know too well from my diplomatic career of nearly half a century, the duties of a sole administrator as a placeholder are making decisions in an interim manner regarding the management and day-to-day administration of the state, financial control, especially receiving money, making payments, and ensuring transparency; managing personnel and ensuring other human resource functions; and taking measures to ensure peace, particularly using the office to intermediate and bring back peace to the realm in question; in this case, Rivers State,” he enumerated.
The PANDEF leader added, “This is more so as I have thoroughly read the Gazette dated 19th March, 2025 appointing you as Administrator as well as extracts of National Assembly proceedings of Thursday, 20th March, 2025 and do not find the kind of wide and sweeping powers being deployed by your office.’’
He expressed the hope that Ibas would have the courage to “undo some of your actions that have so far proven to be over the bar.”
In the same vein, an elder statesman and member of the Rivers State Elders and Leaders Council, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, has condemned the appointment of administrators for the 23 LGAs, saying Ibas has no power to hire or fire anybody.
Sara-Igbe said the appointment of Ibas as Sole Administrator of the state by President Bola Tinibu is conditional.
He described the situation in Rivers State as a coup, wondering how such an illegality was thriving as if there were no law in the country.
He said, “The man who is appointing them (LGA administrators) has no locus. He came unconstitutionally, and his appointment is not covered by the constitution, so it’s null and void.
“Since he has no constitutional bearing, he has no power to either remove or appoint anybody into any office. But what is happening is to tell the world that they had an orchestrated plan for a coup.
“And Mr President has come short of the constitution. Section 10 says that nobody can take the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or any part of it without the due process of the law.
“So, if somebody is taking undue advantage without following the due constitution, it’s null and void, it’s ultra vires.
“Then, depending on section 305; section 305 doesn’t give the President power to suspend or to dissolve any elected office.
“So, the authorities that appointed them do not even have the power to say they want to dissolve, suspend or appoint at the state level. He doesn’t have those powers.
“All they are doing is to see that there’s impunity, they don’t respect the law. They don’t respect the constitution. They can breach the constitution anyhow they like but there’s a court injunction not to go ahead with this appointments and yet he flouted the court orders.”
Group threaten mass action
A group, the Rivers Emancipation Movement, threatened a mass action over the latest appointments by the sole administrator.
The National President of the group, Solomon Tamunotonye, alleged that the appointees are loyalists of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, saying this would further deepen the political crisis in the state.
He stated, “The REM strongly and unequivocally rejects the appointment of sole administrators to oversee the affairs of the local governments in Rivers State.
“This decision is a brazen violation of the Nigerian constitution and stands in direct contradiction to the Supreme Court ruling on the sanctity of democratic governance at the grassroots.
“This appointment is largely populated by known allies of former governor Nyesom Wike, clearly exposing the sole administrator’s lack of neutrality and further deepening the political crisis in the state.
“By effectively handing over the LGAs to Wike’s loyalists, the sole administrator has demonstrated an unacceptable level of partisanship and disregard for democratic principles.”
However, the member representing Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, Rivers State, Mr Kingsley Chinda, asserted that Ibas’ decision to appoint caretaker chairmen was in order.
Chinda, who doubles as the House Minority Leader, also stated that the appointment of a new RSIEC boss did not violate the provision of section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended).
Asked if the retired admiral’s action did not amount to contempt of court, Chinda said, “What court order? What was in place before his appointments? Don’t you want the local government area’s elections conducted?
“I speak as the member representing Obio/Akpor Fed Constituency, as the Minority Caucus or its leadership has not taken a position on this.
“The Supreme Court judgement is that funds should not be released to non-democratic local government councils as provided in the constitution.
‘’The administrator never met an elected chairman in council. How is he expected to administer? Even where he administers the local government areas from the Government House, it does not meet the constitutional requirement.
“He met the council areas without chairmen and an election timetable announced by the state electoral commission. Unfortunately, three members of the commission resigned, and the chairman absconded.
“He had no option but to return democratic rule to the grassroots in compliance with the court judgement, which informed the immediate inauguration of the state electoral commission.
“In the circumstances, he had no reasonable option than to appoint administrators at the local government areas in the interim as long as there are no elected chairmen.”
That said, the federal lawmaker challenged anyone to “Point out the constitutional provision that bars him (sole administrator) from dissolving political appointees and appoint persons of his choice to help him deliver services.”
“The administrator has done nothing in breach of section 305 of the Constitution,” he insisted.
Following a recent meeting between former President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, a report has indicated that the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) bloc might leave the party.
Naija News understands that the meeting which took place on Monday in Kaduna, was initially perceived as a routine courtesy call but has since sparked speculation about its deeper purpose.
According to Daily Trust, the governors reportedly sought Buhari’s intervention to halt defections from the party, particularly by key members of the CPC bloc
The governors’ appeal reportedly arose from growing concerns about potential defections ahead of the 2027 general elections. The defunct CPC, a key bloc within APC, remains highly influential, with Buhari regarded as its central figure.
There are fears within APC that the exit of this bloc could spell disaster for the party on a national scale.
Several former ministers who served in Buhari’s cabinet are also reportedly finalising plans to join the Social Democratic Party.
A source told the aforementioned publication that the governors feared Buhari’s enduring cult-like followership in the North could become a major liability for APC if he backs his CPC associates. His bloc vote, they feared, could be catastrophic for the party in 2027.
It was gathered that the governors specifically urged Buhari to dissuade his CPC associates from leaving APC.
However, the former president reportedly declined to make any such commitment. While reaffirming his loyalty to APC, he insisted that others must be allowed to make their own political choices, a principle he said he has upheld throughout his political career.
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The leadership tussle between the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee and the Nenadi Usman Caretaker Committee, backed by Governor Alex Otti and LP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, took a dramatic turn on Wednesday, following the return of factional leader Lamidi Apapa.
Apapa, who had disappeared from the political circles in the past year, announced on Wednesday that he had taken over the leadership of the Labour Party following the release of the Certified True Copy of last Friday’s Supreme Court judgment.
In its recent judgment, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which had recognised Abure as the party’s national chairman.
On Wednesday, Apapa claimed that the apex court verdict puts him in pole position to replace Abure being the most senior National Deputy Chairman of the party.
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He made the assertion in a statement signed by factional National Publicity Secretary, Dr Abayomi Arabambi.
In the statement, Apapa also announced that his National Working Committee, as of 2022, will officially meet next Monday (April 14, 2025) to discuss zoning arrangements.
The statement read, “Following the dismissal of the cross-appeal filed by the ousted former National Chairman, Bar Julius Abure, also by the Supreme Court on 4th April 2025, what this means is that all actions and decisions taken by Julius Abure since 4th April 2023 are null and void.
“Following the decision of the Supreme Court to set aside all judgments that recognise the leadership of Julius Abure as the National Chairman, I, Alhaji Bashiru Lamidi Apapa, the most senior deputy national, and in consonance with our party constitution, Article 14 2(a)(b), hereby take over the running of the affairs of our great party with effect from today, in an acting capacity, and Alh Farouk Umar Ibrahim as National Secretary.
“My leadership hereby calls on all members of the Labour Party that the National Working Committee of our party as of 2022 will meet next week, Monday, 14th April 2025, to announce our plans, which will include zoning the position of National Chairman to the North and National Secretary to the South.”
Otti, Obi visit INEC
On Wednesday, jubilation erupted among Obi and Otti supporters when the latter announced that they had received the official Certified True Copy of last Friday’s Supreme Court judgment on the party’s leadership crisis.
While presenting the 48-page CTC before the Labour Party Stakeholders Engagement in Abuja, Otti reiterated that the document had put an end to the debate of misinterpretation of the verdict.
He said, “I want to say that we welcome the Supreme Court judgment of last Friday, which Certified True Copy just arrived a few minutes again. The 48-page document was very clear in saying that it is all of you seated here that constitute the leadership of the party. I also want to make a point that we are law-abiding people.
“We sat on the 4th of September 2024 in Umuahia, where we unanimously elected a 29-man caretaker committee. Shortly after that exercise, our brothers, on the other side, went to court and got a judgment that pronounced them the party’s leaders.
“If we are not law-abiding, we would have started dragging the office. But we all said since there was a court judgment, let us follow the process, which ended last Friday. We expected that everybody who wants the survival of democracy and progress of this country would have accepted that judgment. So you may not like the judgment, but you must obey it.”
In attendance were the LP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi; the lawmaker representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Senator Victor Umeh; Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, Prof Theophilus Ndubuaku; and the National Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Senator Darlington Nwokocha.
Others include former LP chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo, members of the National Assembly, Abia State Assembly and chieftains of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, among others.
As Otti read out the excerpts of the document, another frenzy of applause rents the air.
“The same issue submitted for determination is hereby jointly in the favour of the appellants. The appellants are distinguished Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and Senator Darlington Nwokocha. In summary, both the trial courts and the one below have no jurisdiction to entertain the first respondent, Julius Abure.
“Consequent upon the foregoing, the decisions of both trial courts and the one below in recognising Julius Abure as the national chairman of the party is hereby set aside and struck out for want of jurisdiction. In the vein, the first respondent cross-appeal being an offshoot of the same judgment of the courts below is hereby dismissed,” he stated.
When he finished reading the CTC, the governor recalled how he tried to pacify Abure to step down from his position as national chairman and accept a new role as the chairman of the LP Board of Trustees.
Abure, however, allegedly turned down the prospect, saying he wanted nothing.
“But I gave Abure some piece of advice, saying if I were you, I wouldn’t want to lead people who don’t want me as a leader. So, we are still extending the olive branch to him and his former National Working Committee. The leadership of every party should be humble enough to leave at the expiration of their tenure.
“Before I am done, may I appeal to political parties and their members to endeavour to always allow their constitutions, regulations and rules to guide them in choosing their officers and candidates.
“That way, the incessant internal wrangling that always finds its way to court will be reduced. The leadership of every party should be humble enough to leave at the expiration of their tenure,” he said.
On his part, Obi applauded his supporters and Nigerians for being patient and standing solidly behind them.
The former Anambra governor announced that they would move straight to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission to update them about the presence of the CTC and have them replace Abure’s NWC.
He said, “As leaders and elected members of this great party, we are going to leave from here to INEC to submit this document (CTC) so that we can start the process.
“We will go there now and say here are the documents from the court. This is our resolution. So can we now start the process of rebuilding with your cooperation.”
Shortly after leaving Transcorp Hotel, the venue of the NEC meeting, Otti led a high-level delegation to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Abuja to discuss recent developments within the party.
The governor also presented the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment to INEC’s acting Chairman, Sam Olumekun, and other National Commissioners.
Their discussions focused on strengthening collaboration between the LP and INEC, as well as reinforcing democratic principles.
Olumekun emphasised the commission’s commitment to maintaining neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law in fulfilling its constitutional duties.
Abure kicks
Reacting, Abure’s camp dismissed the claim of legitimacy by the caretaker committee, saying their supporters were ‘jubilating for nothing.’
The National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, disclosed this in a phone chat with The PUNCH.
When contacted, the LP spokesman mocked the gathering, saying there was nowhere in the CTC that the court mentioned that Abure must step aside.
“They are just jubilating for nothing. The Supreme Court judgment is clear about the position of the party leadership,” he said.
In a follow-up statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Ifoh warned Usman and her hordes of supporters to take a back seat and study the document properly.
He said, “As promised earlier, we warned that Senator Nenadi Usman and her cohorts have been on the voyage of misleading Nigerians with the wrong interpretation of the judgment of the apex court. (Attached is a copy of the CTC). There is nowhere it stated that the leadership of the Abure-led executive has elapsed or that Nenadi Usman and her National Caretaker Committee have been directed to take over the party leadership.
“The Supreme Court emphatically stated that issues within the political party are internal affairs of the party and that party supremacy must be observed. It is pertinent for us to state clearly that there is no vacuum in the leadership of the Labour Party. The highest organ of the party, the national convention, has in March 2024 elected its leaders in line with the constitution of the party and the Electoral Act, and their tenure subsists.
“Consequent upon that, any meeting convened in disregard to the constitution of the party is illegal and the outcome null and void. We are, therefore, warning all those involved in the illegal meeting held in Abuja to refrain from further factionalising the party and respect the constitution of the party, as we will not fail to activate the provision of the party on disciplinary actions.
Ifoh also described the threat by the Nigeria Labour Congress to invade its offices nationwide as a subtle blackmail to make the Julius Abure-led leadership look like a villain before the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies in the country.
He was reacting to Tuesday’s directive by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, for union leaders to begin the process of mobilising their members in readiness to take over the 36 offices and the national secretariat of the Labour Party.
Ajaero said they could not continue to fold their hands and watch the Julius Abure-led National Working Committee defy the Supreme Court’s pronouncement.
But Ifoh warned that hooliganism and rascality, as the NLC leader is allegedly exhibiting, should not be seen as traits of a good unionist.
He said, “Ordinarily, we would have ignored that threat, but there is a need to assure the teeming members of our commitment to keep the faith and resist all forms of rascality and intimidation from persons who think themselves to be above the laws of the land.
“We therefore see NLC’s latest threat as pure blackmail on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and security agencies to do the wrong thing.”
Ifoh recalled that the move was reminiscent of the March 21, 2024 invasion, where aggrieved unionists broke into LP headquarters and other offices, an act that the NWC described as a deliberate action to steal their sensitive documents and money.
He said, “Threats to attack offices and organisations have become the hallmark of the NLC under Ajaero. In 2024, NLC forcefully broke into our national headquarters, carting away valuables. That matter was reported to the police. The recent threat to invade our office was leaked to us by some members of the NLC; hence, we alerted the nation.
“Ajaero should by now learn that attacking law-abiding citizens, hooliganism and rascality is not a trait of a good unionist. He should be concerned more about the workers’ welfare. He has since politicized the Labour Union in Nigeria, and he is no longer fit to occupy that exalted office. We have once advised him to quit unionism and join politics, but he will not listen.
“We must state categorically that NLC has no right to attack any Labour Party office because there is no trade dispute. Based on the Trade Dispute Act, you can not picket or declare a strike without a trade dispute. In any case, we do not have any staff of the NLC in our employment. There is no Union in our offices. Their action is purely an illegality.”
The LP spokesman also charged Ajaero to seek legal counsel if he cannot comprehend the judgment.
“The Supreme Court stated that courts cannot interfere in the internal affairs of a political party. The courts didn’t sack the NWC nor held the tenure to have lapsed. We advise Joe Ajaero and his ilk to seek legal advice if they cannot comprehend a simple court pronouncement.
“Let it be known that we will take every legal means to deal with Ajero and his gangsters should they attempt to resort to self-help. We will not hesitate to write to the Registrar of Trade Union to discipline them if they resort to taking laws into their own hands.
“Finally, we will seek the protection of the security agencies, but where they defy the security agencies, we will have no option but to mobilise our members across the nation to resist them.”
In a separate statement, the factional National Secretary of LP, Alhaji Umar Farouk, has slammed Obi, Otti and the Usman-led caretaker committee, describing their action as an act of desperation.
While calling their National Executive Committee meeting and visit to INEC headquarters illegal, Farouk asserted that the mission had shown the high level of desperation by Obi and Otti to hijack the structure of the party.
“If really the Supreme Court decision is in their favour, why are they rushing to INEC to be putting undue influence on the Commission to do the wrong thing? Also, in their meeting today, they boasted of wanting to give the National Chairman, Barrister Abure, a soft landing by offering him the position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
“Unfortunately for them, Abure didn’t make himself the National Chairman. Therefore, it is not about Abure but about what the structures have said. It is about the supremacy of the organs of the party and the need to do things right.
“It is not about offering the BoT to the National chairman that matters because it is not within anybody’s prerogative to allocate positions; needless to say, it is all these arbitral behaviours by some leaders that have led this country into the near-mess it has found itself.”
The Chairman of the Senate Inter-parliamentary Committee, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, has cautioned that any government’s inability to tackle poverty will inevitably lead to worsening insecurity.
Speaking during the 150th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting in Uzbekistan, Ibrahim stressed the need for a more collaborative approach among global parliamentarians to support national defence budgets as a means of curbing insecurity worldwide.
A statement released by his media team in Abuja on Wednesday quoted him as saying, “The central question for governments and security agencies should be: security for whom, when, and how? Addressing power and insecurity issues alongside their ecosystems is key to the security of the geocentric system. The government’s failure to address poverty effectively will further exacerbate insecurity.”
Ibrahim explained that the government’s handling of security fluctuates between fear and courage, warning that this inconsistency signals systemic failure.
He said, “Life is increasingly tricky amid this struggle, yet we still maintain a defence structure. It is only a matter of time before one of these emotions—fear or courage—prevails. I saw fear within government leadership, leading to unprecedented crises and heightened insecurity.”
Responding to questions from international media in Uzbekistan, the senator urged parliaments to adopt a more supportive and constructive stance toward defence appropriations instead of merely exercising oversight functions.
He pointed out a critical connection between poverty reduction and government efficiency, noting that insecurity often stems from failures in governance. He also warned that when parliaments focus solely on scrutinizing security expenditures, they might “inadvertently foster insecurity.”
The former Ondo governorship aspirant emphasized that enhancing system and process efficiency is crucial in combating fraud within security spending, a key issue for legislative bodies worldwide
former Governor of Rivers State, Rufus Ada George, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of being behind the current political turmoil in the state.
This includes the declaration of a state of emergency and the contentious appointment of sole administrators across all 23 local government areas.
Naija News reports that George, who held the governorship from 1992 to 1993 and now leads the Rivers Elders and Leaders Forum, made these statements during a press conference addressing the recent political events in the state.
Despite the prevailing unrest, George said the forum remains optimistic that the FCT Minister will engage with relevant stakeholders to ease tensions and promote dialogue.
He also mentioned that the Rivers Elders Forum had reached out to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Wike at the beginning of the crisis but did not receive any replies.
George said, “The FCT Minister is the architect of all these things,” accusing him of fanning the flames of instability after failing to impose his political agenda on the state’s leadership.
“He could set ablaze states where the governors did not share his views.
“And that is exactly what I think he is trying to do in Rivers State. Enough is enough. We will not allow him to set Rivers State ablaze anymore.”
Naija News reports that the elder statesman said the minister was in the state days before the appointments were announced.
“He was reported to have been here on the 7th, Monday evening, traversing the whole place, visiting the military administrator. Then following that, this announcement came through,” George said.
He strongly condemned the appointments, describing them as unconstitutional and an assault on democratic governance.
“The appointment of sole administrators is unconstitutional,” George said.
“There are laid down legal processes for constituting local government leadership. This action undermines those principles.”
While insisting that the forum will continue to seek peaceful solutions, Ada George warned that the Rivers people would not fold their arms in the face of provocation.
“We cannot go physical… but we will resist in any form that will attempt to disrupt or disorganize this state.
“We hoped he would consult with stakeholders for peacebuilding, to calm tensions, and to resolve the issues between the two parties—not escalate them,” he said.
Quoting Nigeria’s first president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ada George appealed for calm: “Surulere, Surulere”— be patient, be silent. And I am going to borrow the words of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe to say Surulere, Surulere to all those who are involved in these activities.
“We did communicate in writing to both the warring parties… but unfortunately, we didn’t have the courtesy of receiving a reply from any of them.”
George reiterated the forum’s commitment to a lawful resolution.
“We will go to court where necessary. We have cases in court at the moment, and we will continue,” he affirmed
The United States government has declared that it will consider social media posts of applicants as part of the considerations in granting or denying applications for visas or residence permits.
The US immigration authorities disclosed that applications by people who post content considered anti-Semitic by President Donald Trump’s administration would be denied.
Naija News understands such anti-semitic posts include social media activity in support of or promoting militant groups classified by the United States as terrorists, including Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Huthi insurgents.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem “has made it clear that anyone who thinks they can come to America and hide behind the First Amendment to advocate for anti-Semitic violence and terrorism — think again. You are not welcome here,” department spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services “will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting or supporting anti-Semitic terrorism, anti-Semitic terrorist organizations or other anti-Semitic activity as a negative factor” in determining benefits, the statement added.
The policy will take effect immediately and apply to student visas and requests for permanent resident “green cards” to stay in the United States.
Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio disclosed that he has stripped visas for some 300 people and was doing so on a daily basis