Politics

Obi abandoned Shiloh, churches after losing 2023 election – Bwala

Published

6 months ago

September 18, 2025

Trends Admin

Peter Obi

Obi abandoned Shiloh, churches after losing 2023 election – Bwala

Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, has taken aim at the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, stating that Obi frequently attended churches and their programs but stopped after losing the 2023 election.

Bwala made the remark while speaking on The Clarity Zone Podcast on Wednesday.

Bwala accused the former governor of Anambra state of using church platforms during the campaign but abandoning them after the elections.

“He went to all the churches and met all the Pentecostal bishops. He was everywhere—Holy Ghost night, Holy Ghost morning, prophetic prayers. But after the election, I didn’t see him again. Like my church, we had Shiloh. I told one of my pastors that Peter Obi no dey go Shiloh again,” he said.

Bwala also said that Obi’s humanitarian persona was exaggerated and out of proportion to his financial situation.

“Peter Obi is a billionaire, a multi-billionaire. There is no record that Peter has floated a foundation. Or a school. Anything that has to do with public interest and is funded so they can meet the needs of the masses. Not a single one,” he said.

He also denied claims of significant donations attributed to Obi, stating, “He has never given beyond N50m, and even that one, I can tell you the circumstances behind it. He never gave N100m to anybody.”

Bwala also criticized the boreholes Obi reportedly supported in parts of the North after the elections, describing them as primitive.

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“Do you know the type of borehole people gave them money to produce? Caveman days borehole—where somebody will climb and be bouncing like this before water will come out. This is the type of development in his mind. But Nigerians don’t know,” he alleged.

Beyond generosity, Bwala questioned Obi’s political affiliation with the Labour Party, alleging that the former Anambra governor had no history of backing workers’ struggles or grassroots activity.

“Peter Obi is a capitalist by nature. He believes in a free market economy. He’s a businessman. There is nothing resembling socialism around Peter Obi. But Peter Obi ran on the platform of the Labour Party, which is principally a socialist party. Tell me whether you have ever seen Peter Obi in any workers’ strike, protest, or student unionism. Even during EndSARS, was he there? Yet, it is the same demographic he uses in campaigning,” Bwala said.

He described Obi’s 2023 campaign as populist, likening it to the strategy of former US President Donald Trump. According to him, Obi simply exploited youth rage to rally support.

“In the last election, Obi just saw that the youth were not happy, and he rode on that anger. They even said, ‘We no dey give shishi,’ because once you ride on their anger, they sponsor themselves to fight your cause,” Bwala added.

Obi, who joined the Labour Party in 2022 after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party, ran an “Obidient” campaign that gained enormous youth and church support.

During the polls, the party, which is technically a social democratic platform, presented itself as a pro-worker alternative.

Despite Bwala’s claims that Obi has not sponsored public projects, documents show that the former governor has made recent donations to health and education organizations.

Chronicle NG reported that Obi made several philanthropic commitments. He donated ₦70m to health and educational institutions in Anambra State and also gave ₦20m to Faith Foundation Mission Hospital, Nsukka, Enugu State, to support its College of Nursing Sciences, amongst others.

Obi abandoned Shiloh, churches after losing 2023 election – Bwala

Related Topics:churches Election Featured Shiloh

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Politics

Tinubu Holds Urgent Meetings with Ganduje, Badaru as APC Defections Surge

Published

6 hours ago

April 1, 2026

Trends Admin

Former Kano Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and President Bola Tinubu

Tinubu Holds Urgent Meetings with Ganduje, Badaru as APC Defections Surge

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday night held separate closed-door meetings with former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and ex-Defence Minister Badaru Abubakar at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid rising defections from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The meetings came as political tensions intensified in Kano and Jigawa States, following a series of high-profile defections that threaten to reshape APC’s influence in the Northern region. Although the discussions were private, sources indicate they were focused on strategies to stabilise party structures and address internal grievances.

The immediate trigger for concern was the recent defection of former governor Rabiu Kwankwaso from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Several of Kwankwaso’s loyalists, including Nasiru Gawuna, APC’s 2023 governorship candidate in Kano, and former deputy governor Aminu Gwarzo, followed him to the ADC, raising alarm among APC leadership.

Earlier in the day, Ganduje appeared publicly with Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin during an event where eight NNPP lawmakers defected to APC, an effort seen as part of the ruling party’s counter-strategy to maintain dominance in the state. Ganduje reassured supporters that APC remains strong and capable of delivering victory in Kano in the 2027 elections.

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Ganduje, who served as APC National Chairman until his resignation in July 2025, remains a key influencer in northern politics. Badaru, a former Jigawa State Governor, recently resigned from his federal cabinet position, sparking similar political realignments in his home state. Sources suggest some APC stakeholders in Jigawa may also consider joining opposition platforms, reflecting a broader trend of party switching in northern Nigeria.

Political analysts say the meetings indicate Tinubu’s urgent focus on party unity ahead of the 2027 elections, aiming to curb defections and reconcile internal factions. Observers note that while some political actors continue to leave, others are joining APC, highlighting a fluid political landscape.

The developments underscore the strategic challenges facing APC, as opposition parties like the ADC gain ground, particularly in the Middle Belt and northern states, in the run-up to the next general elections.

Tinubu Holds Urgent Meetings with Ganduje, Badaru as APC Defections Surge

Politics

Adebayo Adelabu Resigns as Power Minister to Run for Oyo State Governorship

Published

18 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu

Adebayo Adelabu Resigns as Power Minister to Run for Oyo State Governorship

Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Nigeria’s Minister of Power, has officially resigned from his ministerial position to focus on his bid for the Oyo State governorship ahead of the 2027 general elections. His resignation, dated March 26, 2026, was submitted to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates political appointees intending to contest elective offices to vacate their posts before party primaries.

In a resignation letter, Adelabu expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve in the Tinubu administration, stating, “It has been a privilege contributing to the efforts aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s power sector under your Renewed Hope Agenda. My decision to resign is to enable me to fully pursue my aspiration to contest for the office of Governor of Oyo State and dedicate my time and resources to that endeavour.”

The minister’s exit follows a government directive issued via the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, which required political appointees to resign by March 31, 2026, if they intended to contest elective offices in the 2027 elections. Other ministers, including Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs) and Yusuf Sununu (Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs), have also resigned to pursue governorship ambitions in Bauchi and Kebbi States, respectively.

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Adelabu, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Deputy Governor of Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria, has previously contested the Oyo governorship under the APC in 2019 and the Accord Party in 2023. His resignation signals renewed focus on securing his party’s ticket and intensifying the Oyo State political race ahead of the 2027 elections.

His tenure as Power Minister coincided with public scrutiny over persistent electricity outages, which he addressed in a press conference, issuing a public apology to Nigerians. He acknowledged that erratic power supply had affected households, businesses, and industries, especially amid rising temperatures, and pledged to improve the situation before leaving office. During his term, Adelabu also oversaw key sector reforms, including a N501 billion bond issuance aimed at resolving long-standing liquidity issues in Nigeria’s electricity market.

As of his resignation, the federal government has not announced a replacement for the Ministry of Power, leaving a crucial cabinet role vacant ahead of ongoing reforms and infrastructure projects. Political analysts say Adelabu’s departure is likely to reshape both the federal cabinet and the Oyo governorship contest, as party stakeholders prepare for the primaries and eventual general election.

Adebayo Adelabu Resigns as Power Minister to Run for Oyo State Governorship

Politics

2027: Badagry elders rally Tinubu to back zone’s first Lagos governor

Published

19 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

2027: Badagry elders rally Tinubu to back zone’s first Lagos governor

A prominent elder statesman, Pa Andu Liadi Adio, has urged President Bola Tinubu to honour longstanding assurances that Lagos State’s governorship will be ceded to Badagry Division.

Speaking at his residence in Badagry, the 93-year-old said the time had come for the division to assume leadership after decades of perceived marginalisation and backed the aspiration of Dr. Samuel Mawuyon Ajose.

He appealed for patience among youths in the area, saying efforts were ongoing to ensure justice for the division in the state’s political arrangement.

Pa Adio expressed confidence that the President would not disappoint the people of Badagry in their quest to produce the next governor.

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He recalled that during his tenure as Lagos governor, President Tinubu had requested a representative from Badagry to serve in his administration, leading to the nomination of Hon. Olanrewaju Saka-Shenayon, who later served as Commissioner for Rural Development and Infrastructure.

According to him, that appointment debunked claims that Badagry lacked competent individuals to hold key positions in government.

In his remarks, former commissioner, Olanrewaju Saka-Shenayon, dismissed concerns over the political credentials of Dr. Ajose, describing him as a seasoned private sector player with a strong record of contributions to socio-economic development in Lagos West and the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Also lending her support, former House of Representatives member, Rafeequat Arinola Onabamiro, said Dr. Ajose possesses the experience and capacity to govern, citing his over three decades in the private sector.

She noted that past Lagos governors, including Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode, did not begin as career politicians but went on to leave impactful legacies.

Onabamiro lamented that since the creation of Lagos State in 1967, Badagry Division has yet to produce a governor, deputy governor, minister, or Secretary to the State Government.

She added that Lagos West Senatorial District is united in its support for Dr. Samuel Mawuyon Ajose’s governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.