Headlines
Wike allies, G-5, meet in Enugu on PDP

After another fence-mending session at the weekend between presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who has remained estranged since the party concluded its convention in May, five PDP governors now famously known as Wike allies met, yesterday, in Enugu State.
The group of five governors (G-5) – Wike, Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and host, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) were locked in a closed-door meeting, which observers say was to push for the final way forward in the intractable crisis confronting the party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
PDP had been enmeshed in crisis after the national convention that saw the emergence of Atiku as its presidential flag-bearer.
Wike, who contested in the presidential primary, had alleged foul play, insisting the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, compromised the integrity of his office by using its instrumentality to ensure the emergence of Atiku. He, alongside other governors demanded the resignation of Ayu as the only panacea to peace in the party.
The G-5 team at their last meeting held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, opted out of Atiku’s campaign council and vowed not to play any role in the campaign pending the resignation of Ayu. The Enugu meeting is holding hours after Wike met with Atiku, who was reportedly said to have promised to back him for the presidency in 2027.
Wike had also at the weekend received the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in Port Harcourt. Though details of their discussions were not disclosed, it was gathered that the duo held talks on possibilities of backing Obi, currently riding on the momentum of an unprecedented youth enthusiasm.
Obi, who has been shopping for support across the country, was said to be particularly interested in getting Wike to queue behind him to boost his chances in the South-south.
Since he declared his presidential interest, Obi had visited Wike three times in Rivers to plead for his support. The LP candidate, accompanied by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, also paid Wike and his team a visit in London to plead for their support.
MEANWHILE, both Atiku and presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, took to their social media handles to display their fitness level in a ‘show of strength’ to their teeming fans to demonstrate capacity to handle the challenges of office.
While Atiku danced to Davido’s ‘Stand Strong’ as he unveiled his five-point recovery plan for Nigeria, Tinubu was seen exercising on a bike in a gym to prove his fitness.
In a video he shared via his Twitter handle, Tinubu dismissed naysayers, saying: “Many have said I have died; others claim I have withdrawn from the presidential campaign. Well… Nope. This is the reality: I am strong, I am healthy and I am ready to serve Nigerians from day one.”
Apparently poised to assuage aggrieved APC members over the composition of the party’s presidential campaign council, Tinubu has appointed Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, as special adviser on party integration and reconciliation for the campaign team.
Buni’s appointment is coming one week after secretary of the presidential campaign council, James Faleke, released a list of 422-member council, with President Muhamadu Buhari as chairman; Tinubu and Abdullahi Adamu, the party’s national chairman, as deputy chairmen, as well as Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong, as director-general.
The list was, however, greeted with bickering from governors under the party’s platform on grounds that the candidate ignored their nominations and replaced them with others from their respective states.
It was gathered that Buni, who was chairman of the APC caretaker committee from June 2020 to June 2022, was engaged by Tinubu following the success he recorded in reconciling members of the party after the ouster of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC).
Tinubu, in a separate letter, also appointed Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State, as his adviser on administration and government in the campaign council.
A letter dated August 8, 2022, personally signed by the candidate and made available to newsmen in Abuja, said Buni’s impressive political achievement and the exemplary leadership he has demonstrated as governor of Yobe state and as a party member qualified him for the responsibility.
“We are grateful that you have joined our campaign team. We know you will do your utmost in this new responsibility so we conduct an effective, message-driven campaign leading us to victory in the 2023 presidential election.
Tinubu described Masari’s appointment as fitting and appropriate given his impressive political achievement and the exemplary leadership he has demonstrated as governor of Katsina.
Also, the ruling party has constituted the women’s campaign team for its presidential campaign with Aisha Buhari, wife of President Buhari, as the grand patron.
The APC women campaign team comprises 1,200 strong members, which also comprises Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of the party’s presidential candidate and Hajiya Nana Shettima as chairperson and co-chairperson of the women’s campaign team respectively.
A former member of the House of Representatives from Borno State, Asabe Villita, was appointed the National Coordinator of the team with Lauretta Onochie, an aide to President Buhari, as her deputy.
However, Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, is noticeably absent from the campaign list released yesterday in Abuja by Rinsola Abiola, daughter of late Chief MKO Abiola, who is also named in the media and administrative committees of the campaign team.
Recall that Prof. Osinbajo was excluded from the list of APC Presidential Campaign Council released by the party a week ago. Osinbajo lost the APC presidential primary to his former boss, Tinubu at the convention in June. While other aspirants have been drafted into the campaign, the vice president was excluded from the campaign council.
To debunk speculations of a rift between Tinubu and Osinbajo, the ruling party had in a statement claimed that President Buhari requested the exclusion of his Vice and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, to allow them focus on governance.
Headlines
Akwa Ibom APC Gears Up to Receive President Tinubu as Governor Umo Eno Joins Party

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has announced its readiness to host President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other top party leaders as it officially welcomes Governor Umo Eno into its ranks.
Speaking at a press briefing in Uyo on Friday, APC chieftain and former presidential aide, Senator Ita Enang, disclosed that the party was fully prepared to receive the president, Vice President Kashim Shettima, APC National Chairman, and governors elected on the party’s platform for the historic reception.
Governor Umo Eno had on June 6 formally defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, in a move widely described as a political game-changer in Akwa Ibom.
Enang, a former Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly and Niger Delta Affairs, said the governor’s defection had effectively aligned the state with the central government.
He assured Governor Eno and his supporters that the APC would embrace them wholeheartedly and honour all agreements reached.
“As progressives, we shall work with the governor and his supporters to ensure that they fit into the party without hitches,” Enang stated. “We will also work with them to align programmes of the state government with the ideals and manifesto of the party.”
He further described the governor’s move as a “merger” that promises significant benefits for Akwa Ibom and its citizens.
The planned reception is expected to mark a major political event in the state, signaling a realignment of forces ahead of future elections.
Headlines
Ekiti Launches Aggressive Anti-Flood Campaign, Dredges Ofigba River

The Ekiti State Government has intensified efforts to prevent flooding across the state with the launch of a comprehensive dredging campaign, targeting critical waterways in both rural and urban areas.
Chairman of the Ekiti State Environmental Protection Agency (EKSEPA), Chief Bamitale Oguntoyinbo, disclosed this on Friday during an inspection visit to the ongoing dredging project at the Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti.
Oguntoyinbo, who was accompanied by EKSEPA board members, said the visit was to assess the progress of work being carried out to mitigate flood risks in the community. He expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of the dredging work.
“I and other board members of EKSEPA are delighted with the level of job done by the site engineer because he is actually working with the directives of three-kilometer dredging of waterways,” he said.
According to him, the dredging commenced on June 4, and so far, 1.8 kilometers of the river have been successfully cleared.
He applauded Governor Biodun Oyebanji for prioritizing the safety and welfare of residents by initiating the state-wide anti-flooding campaign.
“I want to commend our amiable governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, for embarking on zero tolerance campaign against flooding in every community and town in Ekiti,” Oguntoyinbo stated.
He also praised the General Manager of EKSEPA, Mr. Olukayode Adunmo, for his commitment to the project’s supervision and success.
In his remarks, Adunmo emphasized the urgent need to clear waterways choked by refuse, which impede water flow and contribute to flooding during the rainy season.
“Dredging of Ofigba River in Ise-Ekiti in Ise/Orun Local Government Area is necessary because some of the waterways have been blocked by refuse,” he explained. “There is the need for us to remove every blockage to enhance free flow of water and avert flooding during heavy rainfall.”
Adunmo also commended Governor Oyebanji for taking proactive steps to protect lives and properties across the state.
Residents of Ise-Ekiti have welcomed the government’s intervention. Chief Godwin Ojo, a community leader, expressed gratitude to the governor for his timely action.
“We thank the governor for the move to avert flooding in our community,” Ojo said. “May God grant him more wisdom to pilot the affairs of the state to an enviable height.”
The dredging campaign forms part of the Oyebanji administration’s broader commitment to environmental safety and disaster prevention.
Developmental
Tinubu to visit Kaduna Thursday to inaugurate key projects

President Bola Tinubu is expected in Kaduna State Today Thursday for the inauguration of several key developmental projects executed by the administration of Gov. Uba Sani.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit forms part of activities marking Sani’s two years in office.
The projects lined up for inauguration include the 300-bed Specialist Hospital in Millennium City, Kaduna, built by the state government to bolster the provision of healthcare services.
Tinubu will also inaugurate the Institute of Vocational Training and Skills Development in Rigachikun, road projects in Soba, and Samaru Kataf LGA’S as well as the 24-kilometre Kafanchan Township Road.
Others are the Tudun Biri Road, the 22km road linking Kauru and Kubau LGAs as well as the Vocational and Skills Training Centre in Tudun Biri.
Tinubu is also expected to unveil 100 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses, as part of efforts to modernise the state’s public transportation system.
The projects are part of the administration’s focus on infrastructurde evelopment, healthcare delivery, youths empowerment, and economic growth.
The state government described the visit as a significant moment for the people of Kaduna and an opportunity to showcase ongoing efforts to transform the state through impactful governance.
Sani, who marked his second year in office this month, has prioritised human capital development, rural infrastructure, and jobs creation since taking office in 2023.
Tinubu’s visit to Kaduna State was rescheduled from Wednesday to Thursday.
He was initially supposed to visit Kaduna on Wednesday, but due to the recent attacks in Benue, he shifted his trip.
The president visited Benue on Wednesday to commiserate with the victims of the recent attacks and assess the humanitarian crisis.
During his visit to Benue, Tinubu met with stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political and community leaders, and youth groups, to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities.
He also condemned the ongoing violence and called on the residents to embrace peace and mutual understanding.
NAN recalls that the Benue Government had declared a work-free day for Tinubu’s visit, urging the residents to turn out in large numbers to welcome him.
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