A United States-based Nigerian IT expert, Clayton Udo has raised concerns over the struggles African men face in marriages abroad, particularly in the U.S.

According to Udo, many African men have been financially drained and left in dire conditions by their wives, leading some to flee or even lose their lives due to emotional and financial distress.

Addressing the issue, Udo stated, “A lot of people don’t understand what is going on in the story, or what is going on in this country when it comes to African men. I can tell you that a lot of men have either had to run to Mexico or Canada to escape back to the country. Men have stayed in this country and have been rendered useless; 200k, 300k, money put on their heads by African women. The African women come out on TikTok, Facebook with pictures of them and only the children smiling, with the house they took from the man and everything.”

He further lamented that many African men have suffered similar fates, stating that hundreds have died over the past decade due to these circumstances.

Sharing his own experience, he explained, “When I had my own divorce, you know when you are in IT, you have what is called a recruiter. My ex-wife went to each recruiter reporting me to each and every one of these recruiters, then turned around and went on to these recruiters saying she has finished her own course in IT. By the time I picked up the phone to call the recruiter, they refused to work with me, or they tell me they have now signed her up. And since there is a divorce, there is a clash of interest.”

Udo also accused some women of fabricating abuse claims to gain an advantage in legal disputes, emphasising that many African men have lost everything, including their homes and children, due to such tactics.

“What they do is lie, and that there have been verbal and physical abuse. A lot of them want to become you or be greater than you. Be careful who you are walking around with. They like you for now, that you are driving a car, and you have money, but once you bring them into the house, they want to take everything you have; they want to take and become you.”

He warned African men to be cautious in their marital choices, alleging that many women marry men only as a means to escape poverty and later strip them of their possessions.

“In her mind, she wants to climb up to get out of the poverty she has where she is coming from, she is going to take everything away from you, from your house to your children. The number of men in the U.S. African community that the women have turned their children against, secretly or openly, they are going to take your house from you, they are going to take everything from you. Most men have been reduced to nothing, even though they won’t come out to say it. They are submissive.”

Sunday Dare, special adviser to the president Bola Tinubu on media and public communication, has described the president’s political opponents as “wannabes.”

Dare said the president is not deterred by the constant barrage of criticism from the opposition.

This is coming days after former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, openly criticised Tinubu’s administration.

Recently, El-Rufai accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of founding principles, saying he doesn’t recognise the party the again. 

“You cannot afford to have illiterates, semi-illiterates, and cunning people as your leaders. This is why we end up with the poor leadership we have today,” he said.

In another tweet, the ex-governor, who is still a member of the party said he would criticise the APC even if he was in Tinubu’s government.

On his part, while speaking on how to take power from a sitting president, Amaechi said Tinubu and the political class would not cede power to the younger generation without a fight.

Reacting to their comments on Saturday, Dare said advised president’s “detractors” to wait for the 2027 polls to test their popularity.

“While President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria was away in far away Dar es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, his political opponents, detractors, opposition elements, pseudo friends unfolded their Machiavellian inclinations,” he said in a post on X.

“Indeed, while the President was seeking solutions to Nigerias’ energy problems in Dar es Salaam, some “wannabes “were heating up the polity.

“Expectedly, it was a gathering convened to further spread ill will. Nothing new came out of the gathering different from the opposition script we are used to. A few of the participants went overboard in their vitriol, fanning the embers for adopting undemocratic actions.

“These political gladiators have antecedents that are well known. We urge Nigerians to begin their scrutiny early. And choose between political hecklers and real progressives. The clouds are beginning to clear. The stage sets soon. The combat begins.

“Until then, President Tinubu, an avowed democrat remains undistracted and unperturbed. The fight is ahead. Not now. The only conversation he wants to have now is how to improve the lives of Nigerian citizens and constructive discourse on building a resilient economy.”

Human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has said the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, should have retired.

Naija News reports that Farotimi said the decision of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to confirm his stay as the Inspector-General was against the constitutional provision.

In an interview with News Central, he stated that the accusation of the former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowere, was correct.

“Nigeria as a legal entity is full of lies and contradictions, and laws rarely matter in the country that we have built. If laws matter, the reality is that Yele is completely correct. The Inspector General of Police is illegal. He has exceeded his time in office.

“But what the presidency is telling you is that the law does not matter. The President has decreed and it has been as decreed. Because if it is not decreed, then it would be in accordance with the law. And what the law says is that Kayode Egbetokun should retire and should have retired.

“So that the President has decreed is another buggy mentality. That the decree of the President supersedes the constitution or the law in Nigeria is just another one of the many sickening realities of our existence. But that is just what it is,” he said.

Speaking further on his use of the word illegal, Farotimi explained that the President decided to take an action that was against the law. He added that the Police Service Commission (PSC) also confirmed that Egbetokun ought to have retired.

“If the President’s word is superior to the clear wordings of the law, the existential reality is that he has decreed something outside of the law and it is because he is the imperator. It does not change the fact that what he has said supersedes the law.

“So when the pronouncement of the President supersedes the law, the only thing you can say is that the president has issued a decree. That is the effective nature of his pronouncement. Because the Police Service Commission has not denied the fact that the man should have retired,” he added. 

Thirty passengers have been burnt to death in an auto crash that occurred in the Odigbo Local Council Area of Ondo State.

The incident occurred on Saturday, when two commercial buses had a head-on collision and burst into flames at the Onipetesi axis along the Ore/Lagos Expressway.

With 32 passengers involved in the accident, 28 were burnt beyond recognition while two survivors rescued with serious injuries died before getting to the hospital.

Two other passengers are still receiving treatment.

According to sources, the accident was caused by excessive speeding on the part of the drivers.

While confirming the incident, the Ondo State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samuel Ibitoye, said a preliminary investigation showed one of the vehicles drove against traffic.

Ibitoye, who urged drivers to exercise caution, ensure proper vehicle maintenance and avoid reckless driving, encouraged passengers to speak out against unsafe driving practices, emphasising that road safety is a shared responsibility

An elder statesman, Usman Bugaje, has opined that the deteriorating condition of Northern Nigeria is facing serious challenges that require collective efforts to prevent total collapse.

He observed that the region is plagued by poverty, insecurity, and corruption, saying that nearly 60 per cent of students in tertiary institutions cannot return to school because their parents cannot afford tuition or transportation fees.

According to Bugaje, “For over 25 years of Nigeria’s democracy, poverty has more than doubled in the region, with over 33 million Nigerians facing starvation.”

The elder statesman explained that the country’s currency has lost significant value, as the minimum wage is no longer sufficient to purchase a bag of rice, highlighting the collapsing economy.

Speaking as the convener of the Arewa Movement for Good Governance Conference, themed, “The North and the Dangers Looming on the Horizon: The Need for a New Conversation and a New Narrative,” held on Saturday in Kaduna, Bugaje lamented that the North is facing serious challenges that are not being addressed.

He lamented, “It’s worrying and disturbing. We need to sit down and address these issues.”

He also lamented that insecurity has spread and escalated to previously inconceivable levels, frustrating trade, commerce, and agriculture—the mainstay of the region’s economy—adding that public institutions are decaying and failing in service delivery.

According to Bugaje, the state of infrastructure, particularly electricity, is epileptic, with neighboring Niger Republic appearing to be doing better.

He believed, “The social sector is the worst hit, as human capital is dwindling, and there are no jobs for the largely unemployable youth. In short, Nigeria is simply not working.”

Bugaje opined that the shameless politicians bask in false glory, reading empty speeches, embellished by a growing industry of praise singers, hangers-on, and an army of thugs, many of whom are drug users.

He noted that Nigerians are on a dangerous trajectory with no future to look forward to, with 20 million out-of-school children, most of whom are in the North, adding that Nigerians are sitting on a time bomb as nearly 60% of students in tertiary institutions in the North cannot return to school.

Bugaje also criticized the weakening of traditional institutions by political office holders, whom he described as epitomes of decadence, saying that many religious leaders have been enticed with money and drawn into a political culture dominated by violence, money politics, and the inordinate ambitions of people determined to rule by any means possible.

He emphasized that the primary problem of Nigeria is leadership and called for a consensus among northern elites to tackle the region’s challenges, saying that history will not forgive Nigerian elites for their failure to address the problems facing the entire country.

The Chairman of the Organizing Committee and former Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Tom Maiyashi, in his remarks, observed that the North is on the verge of collapse.

He urged northerners to come together and save the region for the sake of future generations, saying, “Northern elites must come back to their senses and address the challenges of the region.”

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has rescued a young woman from a suspected armed robber and ritualist. The command has also commenced a manhunt for the suspect.

This was made known in a statement shared by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday.

According to the statement, the incident occurred at a hotel in the Wuse district of Abuja, where 25-year-old Promise Eze from Ebonyi State was found tied to a small chair, her mouth covered with plaster.

She was unconscious and in distress when officers arrived at the scene on January 31, 2025, following a distress call from hotel staff. The victim was rushed to Wuse District Hospital, where she regained consciousness.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim had checked into the hotel on January 30 with a man who identified himself as Emmanuel Okoro from Lagos State. However, she later disclosed that they had met online, where the suspect used the alias Michael Prince and claimed to be an oil company employee from Delta State.

The statement said, “The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has successfully rescued a young woman from the clutches of a suspected armed robber and ritualist, launching an immediate manhunt for the fleeing suspect.

“On January 31, 2025, at approximately 11:30 AM, the Command received a distress call from a hotel in the Wuse area of the FCT, reporting suspicious activity in one of their rooms.

“Responding swiftly, police operatives arrived at the scene and discovered a 25-year-old woman, Promise Eze, from Ebonyi State, tied to a small chair with her mouth covered in plaster. She was found unconscious and in distress. Officers acted immediately, freeing her from captivity and rushing her to Wuse District Hospital, where she was resuscitated.

“Preliminary investigations revealed a disturbing pattern of deception and violence. The victim had checked into the hotel a day earlier, on January 30, 2025, at about 7:00 AM, in the company of a man who identified himself as Emmanuel Okoro from Lagos State.

“However, during police questioning, the victim disclosed that she had met the suspect online, where he introduced himself under the alias Michael Prince, claiming to be an oil company employee based in Delta State. Initially, he invited her to Delta, but after she declined, they agreed to meet in Abuja.

“Tragically, what was meant to be an innocent meeting turned into a harrowing ordeal. The suspect allegedly brandished a dagger, using it to threaten and subdue the victim before restraining her by tying her hands and legs and taping her mouth shut inside the bathroom. He then fled the scene, stealing her two mobile phones.

“Alarmingly, before escaping, the victim overheard him speaking to suspected accomplices over the phone, informing them that he was on his way to regroup before returning to the hotel to “finish the job.”

“Recognising the gravity of this heinous act, the FCT Police Command has launched a full-scale manhunt for the suspect and is working tirelessly to ensure his immediate arrest. The Commissioner of Police, FCT, CP Olatunji Disu, psc, strongly condemns this act of violence and urges residents—especially young women—to exercise caution when meeting individuals they do not know personally.

“The CP reassures the public that the FCT Police Command remains unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents. He also calls on anyone with relevant information that could lead to the suspect’s arrest to immediately contact the police through the following:Emergency Lines: 08032003913. Complaint Response Unit: 08107314192”

The FCT Police Command urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to law enforcement authorities.

Since emerging as the leader of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, Kemi Badenoch has repeatedly cast a shadow over her Nigerian heritage. She has portrayed her upbringing as a grim tale of poverty, crumbling infrastructure, moral decadence, corruption, police brutality, and failed leadership. Her remarks have ignited firestorms on social media, with several videos going viral. Sunday PUNCH fact checked some of her recent controversial claims.

Claim 1

“I grew up in a poor country, and I watched my relatively wealthy family become poorer and poorer despite working harder and harder as their money disappeared with inflation. I came back to the UK at age 16 with my father’s last £100 in the hope of a better life…”

Findings 

According to multiple sources, including the UK Independent and The Times, Kemi Badenoch (nee Adegoke) was born to Nigerian parents, Femi and Feyi Adegoke, in Wimbledon, London, on January 2, 1980.

She is the eldest of three children, with a brother named Fola and a sister named Lola. Her father, Femi, was a general practitioner in Lagos. He owned and operated Iwosan Clinics, located on Itire Road in Surulere, Lagos. Before passing away in 2021 from a brain tumour, he was a Yoruba nationalist activist.

Kemi’s mother attended Queen’s School, Ibadan. She was a professor of physiology at the University of Lagos, where she retired in 2020 after serving for 43 years. She was a professor for 15 years and served as the president of the Nigerian Society for Endocrinology for four years. Sunday PUNCH confirmed that she supervised the Ph.D. theses of many illustrious alumni of the school, including the current head of the department.

Multiple sources revealed that Kemi spent her early years in Lagos, Nigeria, where she attended the International School Lagos, a private institution, and graduated in 1996 before returning permanently to the United Kingdom at 16.

In a tweet dated January 22, 2025, a Lagos-based tax consultant, Kayode Okunola, accused Badenoch of distorting her family’s history to fit a narrative of hardship.

“Dear @KemiBadenoch, stop lying about your background. You were never from a poor family! Your grandmother, ‘Iya Ondo,’ was a prominent lace and damask merchant on Kosoko Street in Balogun Market. Your mum was a professor at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. Your dad owned his clinic, your uncle was a dentist, and your aunt was among the Nigerian students recruited from the USA to the Central Bank of Nigeria,” Okunola wrote.

“If you were poor, what happened to the rest of us who prayed to come from families like yours? Your claims mock the memories of those who genuinely struggled without the opportunities your privileged upbringing afforded you. Please stop!” he added.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Okunola further shed light on the privileged status of Kemi’s family.

He said, “I knew her family well. My family and the Adegokes attended the same church—St. John’s Anglican Church, Aroloya, Lagos Island. Her grandmother, ‘Iya Ondo,’ was a renowned figure in Balogun Market, selling premium fabrics, which weren’t for poor people. Her father owned Iwosan Hospital in Surulere, and her mother was a prominent figure in the Physiology Department at the University of Lagos.

“In those days, only a select few could afford private schools like the International School Lagos, where Kemi studied. It was a school for the children of professors and the elite. Most of us attended government schools. Kemi’s claims of poverty are simply untrue. Her narrative misrepresents her background and mocks the struggles of genuinely underprivileged Nigerians.”

Corroborating Okunola’s assertion, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bolaji Akinyemi, said Kemi lied about her family turning poor.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Akinyemi said, “How can the daughter of a professor at UNILAG (University of Lagos)—her father was a medical doctor—a girl who went to the International School at UNILAG make it sound like she was selling groundnuts and water in Lagos in order to advance her political career?”

Claim 2

“Everyone defines me as a Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with my specific ethnic group.”

Findings:

While Kemi now downplays her Nigerian identity, evidence shows that she actively embraced her heritage in the past.

In 2010, while campaigning to represent the diverse Dulwich and West Norwood constituency in the UK Parliament, she actively sought support from the Nigerian community under the tag, “Nigerians for Kemi Badenoch.” A campaign document that surfaced on social media shows that Kemi reached out to Nigerians in the constituency, emphasising her Nigerian roots.

In the document, she wrote, “Hi everyone, as you know, I’m running for Parliament in the 2010 UK general elections for Dulwich & West Norwood. The race is very tight, and I need your help.

“There are just about 20 days to go before polling day, and Nigerians have been fantastic. My immediate circle of friends, ex-schoolmates, their friends, and our families have really rallied around and been supportive.

“In a recent BBC interview, a caller insulted me because I’m Yoruba. I was very disappointed that a Nigerian woman who claims to have lived in London for 45 years had more issues with me being Yoruba than with my political views—and shamefully made her comments on national radio.

“We really need to move past this mindset of fighting one another and instead try to support each other. Regardless of party allegiance, having a Nigerian in parliament—winning purely on merit and not through family connections or by buying the election would be amazing.

“So, I am asking for your help now to support a Nigerian who is trying to improve our national image and do something great here.”

Claim 3:

“Being Yoruba is my true identity, and I refuse to be lumped with northern people of Nigeria, who were our ethnic enemies, all in the name of being called a Nigerian. I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, where Boko Haram and Islamism is.”

Findings

Kemi’s claim that the Yoruba and Northern Nigerians are ethnic enemies lacks historical evidence. While there have been conflicts in the country’s history, such as political and ethnic tensions during the Nigerian Civil War, the relationship between the Yoruba and Northern Nigerians has largely been characterised by cooperation.

For instance, Yoruba and Northern traders have engaged in long-standing trade relations, particularly in markets and cities like Lagos and Kano. Also, politically, alliances between Yoruba and Hausa/Fulani leaders, such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello, show mutual cooperation rather than enmity.

On religion, there are 19 states in Northern Nigeria; while Islam is the dominant religion in the region, many Christians also reside there. Just as there are Muslims in the South-West. Contrary to Kemi’s portrayal of the North as solely Islamic, the region is home to a significant christian population. States like Plateau, Benue and Adamawa  have large Christian communities, while others like Borno and Yobe have Muslim majorities, but are not exclusively Islamic.

In a post on 13th December 2024, former presidential aide Reno Omokri stated that Kemi demonstrated a surprising level of ignorance when she said Boko Haram and Islamism resided chiefly in the North.

“First and foremost, that statement is inaccurate. There is much more to Northern Nigeria than Boko Haram. In fact, there are nineteen states in Northern Nigeria, and even in its heyday, Boko Haram was limited to just three of those states: Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa,” Omokri wrote.

Claim 4:  

“Coming to the UK, my experience with the British Police was very positive. The police in Nigeria will rob us. When people say I have this bad experience with the police because I’m black, I say well…I remember the police stole my brother’s shoe and his watch.”

Findings

There are truly some bad eggs in the Nigeria Police Force. Increasing police brutality and extortion led to movements such as the #EndSARS protest. However, even the United Kingdom is not completely free of bad cops.

For instance, in 2015, a 31-year-old black man, Sheku Bayoh, died after being restrained by police officers in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. The officers reportedly used CS gas and a combination of physical restraint techniques, including kneeling on Bayoh’s back.

Similarly, in 2011, a 29-year-old black man, Mark Duggan, was shot and killed by police officers in Tottenham, London, following an attempted arrest. The police claimed he was armed, but evidence later showed that he was unarmed when he was shot.

Also in 2016, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported that three Metropolitan Police officers were sentenced after stealing cash and other items from crime scenes. These indicate that elements of police brutality and extortion or theft are not limited to Nigeria police.

Ex-envoy cautions Kemi

Former Minister of Foreign affairs, Akinyemi, during his TV interview, cautioned Kemi  not to build her political career on quicksand.

“She would soon learn that you don’t throw your people and your culture under the bus in order to advance your career. She is making a mistake but she will soon learn.

“After all, right now, there is even a right wing political party in the United Kingdom that is even to the right of the Conservative Party.

“So, what she should be focusing on is how to regain that right wing profile of the Conservative Party and leave Nigeria alone,” he added.

The ruling All Progressives Congress has described the opposition Peoples Democratic Party as a political platform that is gradually going into extinction amid its perennial leadership crisis.

APC urged Nigerians to ensure that the PDP did not return to power following the alleged rot it left behind after ruling the country for 16 years

The appeal was made by the National Publicity Director of the APC, Bala Ibrahim, in an interview with Sunday PUNCH.

He said, “Nigeria was still suffering from the rot of the 16-year misrule of the PDP. That party is gone. Are these the clowns people are taking seriously to rule this country again? Believe me, this is just the beginning. We at the APC are enjoying the entertainment.

“The party is not good at managing anything, including itself. What is happening has shown that God came to the rescue of Nigerians by pushing them out of power

“There are more to come if you go into the nitty-gritty of the problems in that party. They should come and learn how to play politics in our APC Progressive Institute set up by the National Chairman of the APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje. They will be taught how to play politics without bitterness.”

When reminded that many critics of President Bola Tinubu had alleged APC’s involvement in the PDP and other opposition parties’ crisis, Ibrahim said, “How is the APC responsible for the crisis that is happening at Wadata Plaza (PDP headquarters in Abuja)? We are not even staying close. So, how can they blame us for their woes? What does APC have to do with having two different secretaries and two chairmen or whatever they seem to have?

“They simply don’t know how to administer anything and they cannot. Who among the protestants is a card-carrying member of the APC? Who among the people causing the crisis is claiming allegiance to APC? None. It is within them.”

Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was notably absent as key leaders of the North East zonal caucus of the PDP met in Bauchi to discuss reconciliation efforts and strategies for the party’s future, particularly the 2027 elections.

The meeting, held on Thursday, was attended by the three PDP governors from the region.

They are Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, his counterpart in Taraba State, Dr Agbu Kefas, and Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri.

Also, in attendance were members of the PDP Reconciliation Committee, led by former National Secretary Olagunsoye Oyinlola, senators, House of Representatives members, and state assembly members from the zone.

Barely a week after a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Chief Afe Babalola, withdrew his cases against lawyer and rights activist, Mr Dele Farotimi, there is unease among Nigerians over the status of other pending lawsuits against the activist.

Their concerns are borne out of the fact that the police, having arrested and charged Farotimi with 12-count of cybercrime offences and 16-count of criminal defamation based on Babalola’s petition, there are other lawyers who instituted legal actions against the activist, claiming over N1 billion in damages.

On December 6, 2024, a SAN, Mr Kehinde Ogunwumiju, sued Farotimi for alleged defamatory statements in his book: ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.’

The Managing Partner at Afe Babalola & Co asked for N500 million in damages, while further appealing to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court in Abuja to halt the book’s publication and sale in physical and online bookstores.

Ogunwumiju, who pleaded with the court for an order for the seizure of the copies of the book wherever they might be found, stressed that Farotimi must apologise to him in two national newspapers.

Less than five days after Ogunwumiju’s suit, specifically on December 11, 2024, another lawyer from Babalola’s law firm, Mr Ola Faro, petitioned the Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt, alleging that the rights activist also defamed him in the aforesaid book.

Validating his claim, Faro identified specific statements in the book which allege that he, Babalola and his law firm, Afe Babalola & Co, compromised the integrity of the Supreme Court. According to Faro, the statements are not factual and are deliberately written to tarnish his reputation.

While Faro also sought N500 million in damages against Farotimi for unlawful defamation, he requested N100 million in damages for distributing the book.

Meanwhile, following the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and some other traditional rulers in the feud between Babalola and Farotimi, the police prosecutor, Samson Osobu, last Wednesday, applied for the withdrawal of the cybercrime charges at the resumed hearing of the case at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

For the other criminal charge filed by the police against Farotimi before a chief magistrate’s court in Ado-Ekiti, Sunday Vanguard gathered that the case scheduled for February 13 has not been withdrawn as of the time of filing this report.

On December 3, 2024, reports emerged that Farotimi had been arrested in Lagos by the police.

Confirming his arrest, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ekiti State Police Command, DSP Abutu Sunday, said: “The command wishes to inform members of the public that one Mr Dele Farotimi is currently undergoing investigation following a petition written against him to the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command, for an allegation of defamation of character and cyberbullying. He was arrested today in Lagos with a warrant after all means deployed by the command to bring him for interrogation proved abortive.”

…recognize Ude-Okoye as National Secretary, reject Wike’s ally

Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are trying to assert their dominance as the party’s main power brokers.

This followed their first most daring move to whittle down the influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in PDP affairs.

The Governor Bala Mohammed-led 12-member PDP Governors Forum (PDP-GF) rose from their monthly meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital on Friday; with a clear message to the party’s Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum-led pro-Wike faction of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

Mohammed, who read the communique after the meeting, said, “The Forum noted with delight the ongoing efforts at resolving the crisis in the National Working Committee, NWC, on the position of the National Secretary, and has reaffirmed its support for the Court of Appeal judgment; consequently, the Forum advised the NWC to set up the machinery for the effective implementation of the court judgment.”

The Forum also “advised” the NWC to reschedule the much awaited National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting earlier slated for February to March 13th.

According to the governors, the shift is to give the NWC time to put in place the machinery to enable Ude-Okoye append his signature to the necessary documents notifying the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the new date.

Message

With this declaration, the governors have sent an unambiguous message that they’ll henceforth deal with Hon. Ude-Okoye as National Secretary. Senator Samuel Anyanwu, a known Wike ally, insists he’s still the National Secretary irrespective of the PDP-GF’s position.

He told Sunday Vanguard, “I’m not perturbed about the communique issued by the governors. The PDP-GF is one of several pressure groups in our party, members are not bigger than the Nigerian Constitution and the pronouncements of our courts. I remain the PDP National Secretary.”

This happened barely 46 hours after Ude-Okoye was hounded out of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting by Anyanwu’s loyalists who felt irritated by his presence.

Recall, party stakeholders from the South-East had nominated Ude-Okoye as replacement for Anyanwu when the latter emerged as the PDP candidate for the 2023 Imo State governorship election.

Anyanwu argued that his position wasn’t vacant. According to him, the party’s Constitution didn’t require his resignation from office before contesting the governorship election.

Court

Following the party’s refusal to recognize him, Ude-Okoye approached a High Court to enforce his rights.
He won.

Anyanwu appealed but lost. He filed a motion for a stay of execution of the Appeal Court judgement while also asking the Supreme Court to upturn Udo-Okoye’s Appeal Court victory.

He reiterated his resolve to remain in office until the Supreme Court decides.

Wike, himself a former governor, fell out with the Bala Mohammed-led PDP-GF over their support for Governor Siminalaye Fubara in the fight for the control of the PDP structure in Rivers State.

The FCT minister rejected a suggestion by the governors for him to leave the party structure for the governor in line with established tradition. Speaking at a reception organized in his honour by the Ijaw People’s Congress in Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State, in September last year, Wike said, “Let nobody threaten anybody. All those threats are empty. I said nobody would take the structure of the party.

“I said nobody would take over the structure of the party. You can have all the money; if it didn’t dey, it didn’t dey.”

War of words

Since then, a war of words, plots and counter-plots to control the party structure at the state and national levels has been the order of the day.

Wike had threatened to “set fire” in PDP states governors don’t stop meddling in the political affairs of Rivers State. The Rivers State political imbroglio has split the 17 member PDP NWC into two with one faction supporting Wike and the other supporting Fubara.

On Wike’s side are Damagum, Anyanwu and National Organising Secretary, Capt. Umar Bature.

Those on Fubara’s side are the PDP National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba and National Treasurer, Alhaji Yayari Ahmed among others.

Former National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, hailed the party’s governors for standing up for truth and justice.

He said, “Without doubt, our governors are on track. The matter of the National Secretary has since been decided. Ude-Okoye who was duly nominated by the South East caucus and so recognized by the courts occupies that office.

“What we in the North-Central expect now is for our governors and other stakeholders to take equal steps to redress the injustice done to us.

“As a first step, Damagum to revert to his position as Deputy National Chairman (North), and allow our zone complete what is left of the tenure of Senator Iyiorchia Ayu.

“If this is done, then we can confidently say our party is on the path to redemption”.