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Why we picked Fubara as Rivers guber candidate – Wike

Published

2 years ago

January 8, 2024

Siminalayi Fubara, Nyesom Wike

Why we picked Fubara as Rivers guber candidate – Wike

Governor Siminalayi Fubara was fielded as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in last year’s general election to encourage unity in Rivers State, according to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike.

He added that he and other state elders made the choice to ensure unity and a sense of belonging for all sectors of the state.

Nobody would have blocked Wike from nominating a politician from his native Ikwerre ethnic group as his successor, he claimed, adding that he set aside personal interests in favor of state unity and progress.

The former governor spoke at a New Year’s luncheon he hosted in Port Harcourt.

Party elders, past commissioners, and other chieftains expressed their support for Wike’s leadership during the reception.

However, Fubara and his supporters were not at the event.

The former minister recalled that to pave the way for Fubara, who hails from the riverine area, he had to prevail on other aspirants, including former PDP chairman, Bro. Felix Obuah, to drop his ambition.

Wike said to avoid acrimony within his political family, he bought the forms for the PDP aspirants, including the governor.

He recalled that he invited Obuah, a frontrunner for the governorship poll, to his house and asked him to quit the race and become the Director-General for the campaign, stressing that he made a sacrifice.

Hailing Obuah for his loyalty, he also recalled that he still resolved to stand firm with him, despite the seizure of his property by his predecessor.

Wike said: “Felix Obuah was in my team as chairman of the party. My predecessor seized Obua’s property; everything he owned, land, schools and hotels. The wife cried to him, but he told his wife, ‘don’t worry, if it is the will of God, there is nothing you can do. He stood firm. They took everything he had.

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“He was one of the frontrunners in 2023 governorship election. I told him in my house to step down; that he won’t run. He looked at me, but I say you won’t run. He said if that was what I am saying that he won’t run. But I say you will be DG, go and campaign for that election. I say you must be DG and he said if that is what you want, I will go and do it. And he did it. I see all kinds of things going on. They are talking evil about him. But he is here and he will still be here.

“Those who open their mouth to talk.don’t know anything. I was the one who paid for the forms for anybody who wanted to run for elections as governor, House of Assembly and National Assembly. Let one person raise his hand and said he bought forms.

“We say we are all family members, no need for acrimony. Don’t spend your money, we will agree on who will run. The day we took the final decision, the chairman of elders council nearly collapsed. He is here. OCJ was there, Awuse was there. Omehia was there.

“He nearly collapsed. Why? He wanted a governor from the riverine area. When I looked at him, I say why would I allow this old man to just die. I say let’s not create the impression that there are people who want to monopolise power.

“Let’s allow everybody to be part of it because we belong to one Rivers State. If I had wanted, nobody would have stopped me. Nobody had what it takes to even near me.

“And to God be the glory, I don’t regret what I did and I will never regret what I did because I want the unity of this state for us to forge ahead. If I wanted Ikwerre man, nobody would have stopped me.”

Wike insisted that he was interested in playing politics of unity. recalling that when he visited the Southsouth Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Victor Giadom, he went there with PDP leaders.

He said: “The politics we play in this state is the politics of unity of Rivers State, not party. When I visited Victor Giadom, I went with all PDP leaders. Today, he is here with all APC leaders. Membership of party is not on radio or television. So, all of us must make Rivers State to move forward”.

Wike said he was disposed to the peace agreement initiated by President Bola Tinubu, charging the stakeholders to implement it without conditions.

Emphasising that he would never disobey the President, he commended the House of Assembly for immediately implementing its own side of the resolutions.

He said: “I want to make one confession to you. I work with Mr. President and there is no way I can disobey Mr. President. It is not possible. The mere fact that Mr. President calls you and said look, allow peace here, there is no way I can disobey Mr. President.

“I may not be happy in all resolutions, but if Mr. President calls for peace, who are you to say you don’t want peace? I will not attach any condition to what Mr. President wants from me. I will not do it.

“So, I must obey Mr. President. I must do everything humanly possible to see that the peace arrangement is achieved in Rivers. That is what is required and I am going to do that.”

The minister apologized to people especially his friends, who obeyed his decisions, but were hurt by them.

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He said: “I am not perfect. I won’t say every decision I take I am right. I am human and I may take decision that may not be palatable with everybody. I accept it and if it turns out to be bad, forgive me.

“Let’s move forward for the interest of the state. That is important. I took the decision and you listened to me. I want you to also listen to me now. Let’s accept what Mr. President has said. It is for the interest of Rivers and for Nigeria in general.”

“It may not be the best, but there is no option. Mr. President took a lot of risk to give me minister of FCT. People protested, but he stood firm. If he could do that, you too should accept his decision.

“When we came back from Abuja, within the next 48 hours, the Speaker and his people took the decision to obey Mr. President without attaching any condition. I thank Mr. Speaker and other members for respecting Mr. President.

“Whether you are APC or PDP or you don’t belong to any of the parties, we owe a duty to give Mr. President support to move this country forward. Some people said I betrayed PDP. I never betrayed PDP. We stood firm and told Nigerians we won’t do this if this is not done. So, the issue of betrayal doesn’t arise”.

The minister said he learnt from President Tinubu, who once taught him that betrayal and politics are mother and father.

He recalled how Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki betrayed the agreements they had to pave the way for his second term.

Wike said: “It is not everything you invest that you will reap. Even, established companies crumble. You cannot say I did this, but I am not benefitting. God knows why it happens the way it happens. What is important in life is to give God the glory that you are alive to see what is happening.

“When a man is dead, he doesn’t know what is happening. You will be able to advise your children and your friends. When the heat was on in Edo. This young man was a frontrunner in Edo governorship election.

“PDP leaders came to me in Port Harcourt from 6pm to 6am the next day. I told the young man with Dan Orbih to withdraw and not to run for governor. He was crying and we agreed on what will be given to their group.

“He was to be refunded the money he spent and to get four commissioners, but not one was kept. We said okay, you would run for Senate in the next election. But not one was kept .

“But the next thing was blackmail that Wike wants to control this. But you didn’t know Wike wants to control when you came and held a meeting with me from 6pm to 6am. It was all about blackmail. That is what you see in politics.

“You must have shock absorbers. President Tinubu told me when we were meeting that politics and betrayal are the same mother and father. If you don’t want to be betrayed, don’t enter politics.

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“So, prepare yourself that it will happen. I am fully prepared because I know it is one of the things President Tinubu taught me. I am laying this foundation so that some of you who are worried should not be. That is life for you. You must prepare yourself to know that these things happen. I have preached and continue to preach for the unity and for the peace in this state”.

Wike mentioned names of people in the audience who stood firmly with him, saying that he had never betrayed them.

Speaking on the Southsouth Chairman of PDP, he said: “God used Dan Orbih to give us the structure of the party to run for the governorship election. God used him. And I will never in my life, it doesn’t matter the circumstances, deny him.

“Why am I going this far? It is to let you know that I don’t abandon people who had stood for me. I may not do what you exactly want me to do, but I will never betray you”.

On why the Rivers crisis escalated, Wike said: ” Ask people why this matter came to this level. When people went and plotted the removal of the Speaker, you think we will fold our hands to remove speaker?

“We will start with you first. You want to humiliate us to remove Speaker? They said I should go and talk to the assembly men and I said why. They said you brought them. But I said so, these ones will listen to me, but you you won’t listen. They said chairmen of councils don’t respect anybody. But I said how, why won’t they respect anybody? People plotting evil and nobody wants to talk.

“We must make impact on people lives. Whatever position you find yourself, make impact. Forget about these people who cannot face me to fight me. I consumed them before and I will continue to consume them. Show them the way. Follow man that knows the way”.

We must support Tinubu, says Ortom

Former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, who spoke for the “G5,” said they were happy that Tinubu becale President.

He said the aim of the G5 was to actualise Southern Presidency, adding the group has obligations to support the president.

Ortom thanked Tinubu for choosing to work with Wike, based on his capacity.

He said: “The last administration took Nigeria from top to bottom. Nigeria was taken 50 years backward. President Tinubu needs time to take Nigeria from bottom to the top.”

Ortom called on people fanning the embers of crisis in Rivers State to stop and allow the state to remain in peace and unity.

The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, and 24 other lawmakers who defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) were presen at the ceremony.

Also at the event were former Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, George-Kelly Alabo andother commissioners in Wike’s camp, who resigned from the State Executive Council, the Chairman of Port Harcourt Local Government Area, Allwell Ihunda, Senator Barinada Mpigi from Rivers South East, Kelechi Nwogu from Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency, ex-Speaker of Rivers Assembly, Awaji Igbani and Senator Allwell Nyesom.

Also present were Victor Giadom, Orbih, OCJ. Okocha, Sergeant Awuse, Kingsley Chinda, Desmond Akawor, Felix Obuah among others.

Alabo, who spoke for the ex-commissioners, pledged allegiance to Wike, saying:“We stand with you in every circumstance.”

He said Wike delivered Fubara from the riverine and dry areas after may years of agitation.

Alabo said: “As a principled politician, we believe that every river that forgets its source runs dry.

“You pulled your machinery and told all generals to go to the trenches and go to work and deliver this candidate, whether we like this candidate or not.

“We moved to the field and delivered the result. Your Excellency, that same machinery is still alive.”

Alabo commended Tinubu for his intervention in the crisis in the state, saying his position was satisfactory.

Giadom said a band of prayer warriors has been set up to pray for Wike to defect to the APC.

The Chairman of Rivers Elders’ Council, Chief Ferdinand Alabrarah, who told Wike that all his structures were intact, condemned ethnic politics in Rivers.

He said: “You are detribalised and your legacies will endure for generations to come. The elders will continue to be with you and support you”.

Orbih said Wike kept PDP intact in Rivers and the country, describing him as an ambassador of the party.

He added: “There is nothing we cannot do to advance the course of nation building. It is not about PDP, but Nigeria.”

Why we picked Fubara as Rivers guber candidate – Wike

(Nation)

News

Tinubu Rejects Calls to Suspend New Tax Laws, Insists Reforms Will Proceed

Published

12 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu Rejects Calls to Suspend New Tax Laws, Insists Reforms Will Proceed

President Bola Tinubu has rejected calls to suspend the implementation of Nigeria’s new tax laws, insisting that no substantial issue has been established to justify halting the reform process.

In a statement personally signed on Tuesday, Tinubu affirmed that the tax reform laws, including those that took effect on June 26, 2025, and others scheduled to commence on January 1, 2026, will be implemented as planned.

“No substantial issue has been established that warrants a disruption of the reform process,” Tinubu said. “Absolute trust is built over time through making the right decisions, not through premature, reactive measures.”

The president’s position comes amid growing public debate over alleged discrepancies between the tax acts passed by the National Assembly and versions published in the Official Gazette.

On December 26, the National Assembly ordered a re-gazetting of the tax laws after acknowledging differences between the legislative versions and the published documents. In separate statements, the House of Representatives spokesman, Akin Rotimi, and the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, assured Nigerians that the matter was being addressed within constitutional and statutory limits.

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They explained that the review was being conducted in line with the 1999 Constitution, the Acts Authentication Act, and established parliamentary practice, stressing that the exercise was purely administrative and did not suggest any defect in legislative authority.

“This administrative action is intended solely to authenticate and formally reflect legislative decisions,” the statements said, adding that certified true copies would be made available to stakeholders and the public.

However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described the situation as “a grave constitutional issue,” arguing that any law published in a form not passed by the National Assembly amounts to a nullity.

“A law that was never passed in the form in which it was published is not law,” Atiku said, warning that any post-passage alteration without legislative approval would constitute a constitutional breach.

Despite the controversy, President Tinubu, who is currently on vacation in Europe, reiterated his administration’s commitment to due process and pledged continued collaboration with the National Assembly to resolve any outstanding issues.

“These reforms are a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a fair, competitive, and robust fiscal foundation for our country,” Tinubu stated, adding that the new laws are aimed at harmonisation, structural reset, and strengthening the social contract, not increasing tax burdens.

The affected legislations include the Nigeria Tax Act 2025, Nigeria Tax Administration Act 2025, Joint Revenue Board of Nigeria (Establishment) Act 2025, and the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act 2025.

Tinubu urged stakeholders to support the implementation phase, which he described as firmly in the delivery stage, assuring Nigerians that the reforms are designed to promote prosperity and shared responsibility.

Tinubu Rejects Calls to Suspend New Tax Laws, Insists Reforms Will Proceed

News

NAF Bombards Lakurawa, Bandit Camps in Zamfara after US airstrike

Published

23 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Trends Admin

NAF Bombards Lakurawa, Bandit Camps in Zamfara after US airstrike

In a major escalation of counterterrorism operations across the North-West, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has carried out devastating precision airstrikes on notorious bandit enclaves in Zamfara State, coming on the heels of United States missile strikes that crippled Lakurawa terrorist camps in Sokoto.

The Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma, Sector 2, executed two high-impact air interdiction missions at Turba Hill and the camp of feared bandit leader, Kachalla Dogo Sule, both located in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State. Several bandits were neutralised, while key operational facilities were destroyed.

Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, described the strikes as a significant breakthrough in the sustained offensive against armed banditry.

He said the operations were intelligence-driven, relying on credible, multi-source intelligence and persistent surveillance. The first strike targeted Turba Hill, identified as a major bandit hideout. According to Ejodame, aerial reconnaissance revealed intense human activity and a zinc-roofed structure serving as the nerve centre of the enclave.

“Following positive identification, the target was engaged with precision. Post-strike assessments confirmed the complete destruction of the structure and the neutralisation of several bandits,” he said.

The second mission struck Kachalla Dogo Sule’s Camp, a notorious stronghold linked to the manufacture and deployment of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Intelligence reports had connected the camp to recent deadly IED attacks along the Dan Sadau–Magami axis.

“The precision strike triggered intense fires that destroyed multiple active structures, effectively crippling the group’s IED production and operational capacity,” Ejodame added.

He noted that the airstrikes had significantly degraded bandit networks in Zamfara and reaffirmed the NAF’s commitment, in collaboration with other components of Operation Fansan Yamma, to denying criminal elements safe havens and restoring lasting peace across the North-West.

Army Confirms US Missile Strikes on Sokoto Terror Camps

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has confirmed that recent United States airstrikes targeted Lakurawa terrorist camps in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, delivering a heavy blow to the group’s operational capability.

A senior Army Headquarters source disclosed that the strikes were conducted in coordination with US Africa Command (AFRICOM) following actionable intelligence on terrorist movements along the Kaurau axis. The missile strikes hit camps in the Bauni Forest near Waria and Alkassim villages on December 25.

Follow-up patrols carried out the next day confirmed extensive destruction of terrorist infrastructure. Troops later recovered missile debris in Kajiji town, Tambuwal LGA, Kebbi State, believed to be components of Tomahawk missiles.

Army engineers identified some of the debris as fuel boosters weighing about 300 kilograms, capable of penetrating soft ground up to two metres. The Army assured residents that investigations and recovery operations were ongoing and urged the public to report any suspicious objects.

Eight Killed as Terrorists Attack Kebbi Communities

Despite the military gains, terror struck Kebbi State as gunmen launched coordinated attacks on Kaiwa, Gelawu and Gebbe villages in Shanga Local Government Area, killing at least eight people and injuring several others.

The Kebbi State Police Command confirmed that seven victims died during the attacks, while another later succumbed to injuries in hospital. One injured person is currently receiving treatment.

Police spokesperson, CSP Bashir Usman, said security forces had intensified patrols and surveillance across the affected areas to prevent further attacks, though details of ongoing operations could not be disclosed.

Residents described the assaults as unprecedented and devastating, forcing many villagers to flee their homes in fear.

Troops Kill 80 Terrorists, Rescue 34 Victims Nationwide

In a broader update, the Nigerian Army announced that troops killed over 80 terrorists, rescued 34 kidnapped civilians and arrested several criminal suspects in coordinated operations across multiple states between December 25 and 29.

The operations spanned Borno, Adamawa, Sokoto, Katsina, Niger, Zamfara, Plateau, Delta, Cross River and the Federal Capital Territory.

In Borno State, air and ground offensives neutralised 57 terrorists and disrupted ISWAP/JAS networks, while operations in Niger and Katsina repelled coordinated attacks and recovered stolen livestock.

Troops also rescued kidnapped civilians in Kebbi and Plateau states, arrested illegal miners in the FCT, apprehended armed robbery suspects, and dismantled oil bunkering and piracy syndicates in Delta and Cross River states.

The Army said the successes underscore its resolve to sustain intelligence-driven operations, protect lives and property, and dismantle terrorist and criminal networks across the country.

News

Sokoto Operation: FG Reassures Investors, Says Nigeria’s Economy Remain Stable

Published

2 days ago

December 28, 2025

Trends Admin

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun

Sokoto Operation: FG Reassures Investors, Says Nigeria’s Economy Remain Stable

The Federal Government has reassured investors, financial analysts, and international development partners that Nigeria remains peaceful, stable, and economically resilient despite concerns following a joint security operation in Sokoto carried out on Christmas Day.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, gave the assurance in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, explaining that the operation—conducted in collaboration with the United States—was a targeted, intelligence-led action aimed solely at terrorist elements threatening national security and economic activities.

“What Nigeria is decisively confronting—alongside trusted international partners—is terrorism,” Edun said, stressing that the context of the operation was essential to understanding its broader economic implications.

He described the Sokoto operation as “precise, intelligence-led, and focused exclusively on terrorist elements that threaten innocent lives, national stability, and economic activity,” adding that the action was designed to strengthen security rather than unsettle financial markets or undermine investor confidence.

“Far from destabilising markets or weakening confidence, such actions strengthen the foundations of peace, protect productive communities, and reinforce the conditions required for sustainable economic growth. Security and economic stability are inseparable; every effort to safeguard Nigerians is, by definition, pro-growth and pro-investment,” the minister said.

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Edun noted that under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria has recorded measurable progress in security improvements and economic reforms, reflected in key macroeconomic indicators.

According to him, Nigeria’s GDP grew by 3.98 per cent in Q3 2025, following a strong 4.23 per cent growth in Q2, with expectations of an even stronger performance in Q4 2025. He added that inflation has slowed for the seventh consecutive period and now stands below 15 per cent, attributing the improvement to coordinated fiscal and monetary policies.

The minister said Nigeria’s financial markets remain stable, with both domestic and international debt markets functioning efficiently under prudent fiscal management. He recalled that the country recently secured credit rating upgrades from Moody’s, Fitch, and Standard & Poor’s, describing them as independent validation of the government’s reform agenda.

“We have maintained fiscal discipline, prioritised efficiency, and protected macroeconomic stability, demonstrating resilience in the face of external shocks,” Edun said.

Referring to President Tinubu’s recent national address, Edun stated that the administration’s focus for 2026 is to consolidate gains made in 2025, strengthen economic resilience, and sustain momentum toward inclusive and durable growth.

Assuring local and foreign investors ahead of market reopening on Monday, December 29, 2025, Edun said confidence in Nigeria’s economic direction remains justified.

“As markets reopen, investors can be confident that Nigeria remains reform-driven, stable, and focused on growth. The fundamentals are strengthening, the policy direction is clear, and this administration’s resolve to protect lives and secure prosperity is unwavering,” he said.

He concluded by reaffirming the country’s investment outlook: “Nigeria remains open for business, anchored in peace, and firmly focused on the future.”