There could be a happy ending to the Anambra ‘dirty slap’ saga after all. The major protagonists in the drama are making up and moving on in the course of political endeavours.

Sentry can now tell those who may not know that Ebelechukwu, wife of former governor, Willie Obiano, has swallowed humble pie and apologised to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, ‘Ndigbo and friends of Ndigbo’ over her fight with Bianca Ojukwu, a former ambassador and widow of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.

She reportedly extended the proverbial olive branch to Bianca, as part of her ongoing peace moves. In the midst of all, the former First Lady also declared her intention to contest for the Anambra North Senatorial district seat.

“The incident, to say the least, was most unnecessary, unfortunate and I regret my action. It was an unintended action as violence is never in my character. My interest to join the senatorial race is in response to overwhelming pressure and calls from my people to represent them at the National Assembly, Abuja,” her apology letter read in part.

With this humble turn of the former First Lady, many observers of the politics of the state are eager to see how her surprise senatorial ambition will be received by the electorate.

Last Thursday, members of the House of Representatives, while vehemently proposing that the National Assembly be shut down to force President Muhammadu Buhari to wake up to his responsibility of ensuring the protection of life and property in Nigeria, asked a question that has been on the lips of millions of Nigerians for months now.

Many of the legislators who spoke on what they described as the terrible state of security across the country, demanded to know the whereabouts of National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd). Some even rhetorically wondered whether he had resigned his position.

Eventually, a lawmaker called for the resignation or sacking of Monguno, saying he should have been fired along with the last set of service chiefs. Emotions ran high in the chamber during the extended debate on growing insecurity in the country.

Sentry gathered that other items on the Order Paper for the day, which contains the agenda for each plenary, were stepped down while the lawmakers, mostly members of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), spent over one hour criticising the NSA and security agencies, while asking Monguno to ‘go home and rest.”

A member described his tenure as the worst in the history of security crisis in the country and asked his colleagues to ensure something is done urgently.

“Where is the NSA? Where exactly is Monguno? I believe that the security chiefs are, overwhelmed in this situation. Something drastic has to be done. Let us not wait until we are completely overwhelmed,” he said.

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are at loggerheads and the face-off appears to be escalating on a daily basis.

The bone of contention between them is the monthly security vote allocated to the governor.

After months of keeping sealed lips on the reason for the lingering ‘cat and mouse’ game between the commission and the Oyo State government, Makinde’s administration during the week said the EFCC lacked the power to investigate, audit or probe the disbursement and expenditure of its security votes contained in the state’s Consolidated Revenue Fund.

Observers of the politics of the state say the statement by Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, is coming on the heel of incessant arrest of officials of the state by operatives of the commission in recent times.

The commission had earlier claimed that it is investigating an allegedly missing N9bn local government fund. It is for this reason some officials of the state government, including the Accountant-General of the State, Gafar Bello, was arrested.

Sentry gathered that the commission has compiled allegations against the arrested officials and a case has been instituted against them in court. “The commission is saying it has evidence linking the arrested officials to the missing money,” a source said.

But the governor has now told the world that the issue is about security votes, saying the subject is already before the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan.

He also said contrary to reports, there was no truth in the claim that Bello, was arrested by the EFCC in relation to the allegedly missing local government funds. 

The battle for supremacy in the divided ranks of the Zamfara State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) just got more interesting with reports of the rivals outflanking each other.

Sentry has just heard that some of the party’s supporters in Maradun Local Government Area, where incidentally Governor Bello Mattawale is from, have jumped ship to Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa’s faction.

The group led by Captain Halilu Haliru (rtd) and a former Director General in the civil service, Malam S. T. Sale, claim their switching of allegiance was down to the poor performance of Matawalle.

Haliru at the defection event was full of praise for Marafa who he described as the complete opposite of his kinsman Matawalle.

The group accused the governor’s camp of trying to buy their conscience. They argued, however, that taking Matawalle’s money meant supporting the worsening security situation and absence of development in Maradun Local Government Area and other rural communities.

But if you think this raid on Matawalle’s home base is something special, wait until the governor plays the return match by fishing in Marafa’s territory. Sentry doesn’t need further evidence to confirm that Zamfara APC is far from being one happy house.

The Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), John James Akpanudoedehe, has kept the people of Akwa Ibom State guessing for months, over his next political move, amidst questions on whether he will be seeking his party’s governorship ticket to contest the 2023 election.

This is just as his aides insist he is under pressure from prominent and critical stakeholders of the party to run.

But Sentry gathered that the politician, who had actually made up his mind to seek the ticket and contest the governorship election long before now, is merely employing ‘delay tactics’ in the pursuit of his aspiration.

According to a reliable source, Akpanudoedehe’s failure to formally declare his governorship bid is not without reason. He said: “He will contest the election. Those of us close to him know that already. Leaders of our party know that and are waiting for him to declare at the appropriate time.”

Our checks revealed that the former senator is holding back the declaration of his ambition largely because of his current assignment at the national secretariat of the APC.

“He wants to finish his current assignment before declaring his governorship aspiration so that he is not distracted by unnecessary calls for his resignation. Once the Caretaker Committee winds up, you will see his governorship aspiration coming alive and awakening the APC in Akwa Ibom,” our source said.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is fast emerging as a leading strategist ahead the 2023 general elections. For a man who has announced his retirement from politics, Sentry views the rate at which he’s being consulted over strategies with amazement.

During the week, convener of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, held a secret meeting with him in Abeokuta. Their discussion, according to an aide to the former president touched on the next elections.

In fact, Abdullahi specifically said he was in Abeokuta to discuss ‘strategies’ with Obasanjo. The meeting lasted two hours. The NEF chief said the country needed good tidings from the 2023 elections, hence the need to plan. He added that in spite of their ages, they could still contribute to society.

Sentry recalls that National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyochia Ayu, recently led a powerful delegation to Abeokuta to see Obasanjo. Some governors also visited the former president not too long ago. And he has played host to various political groups angling to ‘rescue’ the country come 2023.

During one of those meetings, Obasanjo clearly told his guests that he has no plan to get involved in partisan politics ever again, but he was quick to add that he will always offer his services whenever he is called upon by politicians, perhaps in furtherance of his new found role as a ‘political strategist’.

With the gubernatorial primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State fast approaching, many chieftains and members of the party are at loss over the status of a committee set up by national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, to resolve the crisis in the state chapter.

Sentry gathered that the 11 wise men appointed by Ayu are yet to sit for a meeting since their inauguration at a stakeholders’ meeting of the PDP in Abuja. At the event the committee was asked to examine the power struggle involving six contenders for the governorship ticket and submit its report within a week.

But days after the expiration of the one-week mandate, nothing has been heard of the committee or its assignment. Members of the committee are a former governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; ex-PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun; BoT member, Senator Olu Alabi; Senator Francis Fadahunsi; former Deputy Governor, Erelu Olusola Obada; Professor Wale Ladipo; Chief Dele Faseru; Chief Bayo Ajeigbe; Hon. Olasoji Adagunodo; Hon. Sunday Bisi and Hon. Albert Adeogun.

While the scramble for the ticket for July 2022 poll has become feverish, it appears Ayu’s wise men are finding it difficult to intervene in the political face-off among the contenders. Perhaps, they don’t even know where to start from just yet.

Magodo: Abiru is doing good

Senate Committee on Industries chairman, Tokunbo Abiru, is today a celebrity of sorts among the people of Magodo Estate, Lagos State. A visit to the estate on Thursday by Sentry revealed that the politician has won the hearts of majority of the residents of the community on account of his handling of his presentation before the Senate, a petition submitted to him by the executives of the Magodo Residents Association, on the attempt to forcefully and illegally execute a court judgement in the estate.

Even when Sentry told some of the residents that the Senator merely did what was expected of him as representative of the people at the National Assembly, they responded: “look, Abiru is doing good. He is not the only representative we have with Magodo under his auspice. Not only has he showed keen interest in our plight, he has taken our matter to the Senate and presented our petition to the Senate President. He is truly good.”

Abiru, who represents Lagos East Senatorial District, had while addressing the senate on the Magodo matter, said it was a complaint against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the Inspector General of Police “over illegal invasion of Magodo GRA, Phase 2, Ikosi Ketu, Kosofe Local Government Area of Lagos State by men of the Nigeria Police Force in a bid to illegally execute a court judgement.”

President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, requested that the petition be laid before the chamber for consideration of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. The committee was mandated to report back in four weeks. For this move, the residents of Magodo are grateful to the lawmaker.