Sentry

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State is no doubt a beautiful bride sought many, especially within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Sources close to him says the governor intends to make use of the current attention he is enjoying to better the lot of the party in his state.

In the last few weeks, amidst rumours that he had concluded plans to dump PDP and join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), leaders and stakeholders of the opposition party have been showering attention on Ayade to dissuade him from defecting.

During the week, Ayade played host to the leadership of the PDP Governors’ Forum in Calabar. Reports claim the governors were in town to ‘rub minds on some issues bothering on party unity. Sentry, however, gathered that the parley was another opportunity for PDP leaders to appeal to Ayade not to jump ship.

A couple of weeks before then, some party leaders were in the state to ‘visit’ the governor. Feelers were that the visit was to beg Ayade to shelve any plan of joining APC.

Reliable sources say the governor is telling PDP leaders and colleague governors the same thing: he wants all forms of external interference in the running of the party in his state to stop, if he is to hearken to the plenty pleas.

Sentry

The just concluded South West People Democratic Party (PDP) zonal congress was not without some lessons for chieftains and members of the opposition party, especially in Ogun State where Hon. Ladi Adebutu, former House of Representatives member and leader of the Ayo Fayose faction of the party, was forced to eat humble pie.

A big spender and scion of the wealthy Kessington Adebutu family, the younger Adebutu was so sure his camp would sweep all the positions allocated to his state. Aside his deep pocket, his camp also enjoyed the support of four out of the six state chairmen in the zone.

For the record, Adebutu has his eyes on the 2023 PDP gubernatorial ticket and is not leaving any stone unturned in his quest.

But as the congress, held in Oshogbo, the Osun state capital came to a close, it emerged that associates and loyalists of Adebutu’s arch-rival, the late Senator Buruji Kashamu, cleared all four positions zoned to Ogun.

While Taiwo Shote was returned unopposed as the National Ex-Officio representing Ogun State at the National Executive Committee (NEC), Monsuru Ola Kukoyi (a.k.a Kosigiri) was elected as the Zonal Legal Adviser.

Also, Ogunse Omotoyosi was elected as the Zonal Treasurer and Olugbenga Idowu as Zonal Ex-Officio.

With this development, Kashamu’s associates have shown the Adebutu camp that in spite of the demise of their patron, they are still to be reckoned with in the politics of the state, to the surprise of Adebutu and his men.

Read Also: Anambra poll: PDP aspirants woo members

Is Amaechi echoing in far away Akwa Ibom?

The ears of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, must definitely be itchy these days. Or what other inkling can he have of the numerous mention of his name in places far away from his native Rivers State and his Abuja abode, even in matters that shouldn’t ordinarily concern him?

The former governor of Rivers State is indeed a man of wide connections, but how true can insinuations be that from his Abuja location, he has been influencing and controlling the activities and decisions of some people in a state as far away as Akwa-Ibom?

Yes, some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom are claiming that Amaechi is behind the decision of some people to reject the leadership of a fellow minister of his in the party. According to findings by Sentry, the former Rivers governor has been tele-guiding the activities of the APC in Akwa Ibom.

Well, we don’t know how true this allegation is but a former Military Administrator of Ogun State, Group Captain Sam Ewang (rtd), recently claimed that a force from outside the state is behind the move to checkmate Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, in the state. Or could he be talking about Amaechi? That’s a question in search of an urgent answer.

Sentry

It is no longer news that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State is working very hard to take over the government of the state from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2023. What is still shrouded in secrecy is the identity of the man they intend to push forward as their governorship candidate when the time comes.

Expectedly, some chieftains of the party are being touted as being interested in the gubernatorial ticket. Sources say the party’s candidate in the last election – Razaq Atunwa – is one of such. According to insiders, the former Finance Commissioner has already set plans in motion to reactivate his political teams across the state in preparation for the task ahead.

But sources within the Bukola Saraki political family told Sentry that unlike what obtained in 2019, when he enjoyed the backing of the former Senate President, Atunwa’s ambition may not have Saraki’s blessing this time.

According to sources, “Senator Saraki is bent on fulfilling his promise to Kwara North senatorial district this time around. He will support a candidate from the north to run on the platform of the PDP in 2023.”

Such positions notwithstanding, Sentry gathered Atunwa is determined to go all out and seek the party’s ticket once again. According to sources close to him, he believes strongly that he is still the best candidate PDP can throw into the race against the APC and the sitting governor. “Kwara people are wiser now, they will vote PDP if Atunwa, whom they know already, is presented to them in 2023,” the source claimed.

Sentry

Feelers reaching Sentry from Enugu, Enugu State capital, suggest commissioners in the cabinet of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi are anxiously waiting for the outcome of a planned massive cabinet shake-up.

According to sources within the administration, the governor had, on a number of occasions, given indications that he planned to reconstitute his cabinet soon.

It was gathered that owing to some recent developments within the government and the party in the state, some commissioners are uncomfortable with the planned shake-up as they fear they may not make it back. Thus, not a few are now waiting on Ugwuanyi to know what would become of them after the planned re-jig of the administration.

Sources say some commissioners and cabinet members with political links to former governor Sylvanus Chime are most terrified by the news of a looming cabinet shake-up. This may not be unconnected with some developments between the two camps of late.

“They fear they may be dropped on account of their political affiliations with the former governor. I don’t know how founded this fear is but some recent development have been fueling such anxiety within the ruling party in Enugu state,” a source claimed.

Sentry

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, is not leaving anyone in doubt that he’s a changed man. All through last week, the Anambra State-born politician didn’t stop recounting how his ten month stay behind bars helped him appreciate God more.

According to him, he now wants to spend the rest of his life serving God in appreciation of his freedom.

Metuh, who earlier told some associates in Abuja stories of how he met God while in prison, attributed his freedom from an incarceration that was meant to keep him locked up for seven years, after ten months, to his faith in God.

He said his time in prison was the “lowest” for him. At the weekend, he was in Awka, the Anambra capital for a reception held in his honour. And guess what? He spent ample time again talking about his changed ways.

Sentry also gathered that while playing host to some visitors after the event, the PDP chieftain never stopped recalling his new found love for God and all that is godly. According to a source who witnessed a couple of Metuh’s renditions, it appears old things are now passed away for the former PDP spokesperson.

Sentry

The backlash against Abdulkadir Adekunle Akinlade in the wake of his defection from the ruling the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State,  to the Allied Progressives Movement (APM) in 2018 was swift; resulting in unprecedented loss in followership and culminating in his losing the 2019 gubernatorial election to the current governor, Dapo Abiodun,

Not a few observers of the politics of the state felt the young politician was misdirected by his godfather and leader, Senator Ibikunle Amosun back then.

But rather than retrace his step by accepting the outcome of the election and returning to the APC in good time, Akinlade spent time and money challenging Abiodun’s victory in court. He went all the way to the Supreme Court but lost all the way. Now, he recently rejoined APC.

Since his return, tongues have been wagging over his political future. Aside the fact that he has lost popularity and followership within the ruling party, nearly all the structures built for him in APC by Amosun while the later was governor, have been submerged under the incumbent governor’s structures across the state, leaving the returnee Akinlade and his handful of supporters without any political strength within the party.

To make matters worse, there is now talk about him being abandoned to fate by Amosun. Sentry gathered that the former governor, who now represents Ogun Central senatorial district at the National Assembly, may have resolved to try another of his associates for the governorship come 2023. With Akinlade also reportedly getting ready to try his luck again in the gubernatorial race, it is uncertain how things will pan out for him in the emerging power intrigues.

Sentry

Hundreds of Nigerian social media users last Wednesday un-followed Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd), after he advised citizens to defend themselves against bandits and kidnappers instead of “running from minor things like that.”

He said: “It is the responsibility of everybody to keep alert and to find safety when necessary. But we shouldn’t be cowards.

“At times, the bandits will only come with three rounds of ammunition, when they fire shots everybody runs. In our younger days, we stand to fight any aggression coming for us. They should stand and let these people know that even the villagers have the competency and capabilities to defend themselves.”

Many Nigerians were offended and accused him of shirking his responsibility as nation’s Defence Minister.

When asked about licensing firearms for citizens to defend themselves, he said: “Even in developed countries, they are debating whether to continue or not. I don’t advise Nigeria to start issuing firearms for personal use.”

The illogic of his position further angered many. The retired general, who had less than three hundred followers on tweeter at the time he made the statement, lost more than a hundred of them within twenty four hours.

One of his erstwhile followers even took to her social media handle to ask if the minister “expected Nigerians to fight the armed bandits with sticks and knives.”

Sentry

Current developments in the camp of former Oyo State Governor, Rashid Ladoja and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) are strong indications that all is not well within.

If you add some statements emanating from the politician’s top aides, you will be left to wonder what exactly is going on in Ladoja’s camp. Amidst talk about his readiness to quite ZLP and move his camp into another party, his associates are daily being linked with moves to the two leading political parties, leading to discordant tunes from their ranks.

Last week, the leadership of the ZLP in the state met with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to discuss merger. At the end, the meeting, which was held at Premier Hotel, Mokola, Ibadan, was adjudged fruitful by both parties.

The 2019 governorship candidate of ZLP, Sharafadeen Alli, led Ladoja’s loyalists to the meeting, while the acting chairman of APC, Chief Akin Oke, led his party’s team.

Ladoja’s men at the meeting included the Chairman, Senate Committee on Local Content, Teslim Folarin, representing Oyo Central Senatorial District; two members of the House of Representatives, Segun Odebunmi, representing Ogo-Oluwa/Surulere Federal Constituency and Akeem Adeyemi, representing Oyo Federal Constituency. Former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Adeolu Adeleke, was also there.

Few days later, Governor Seyi Makinde and the Chairman, Governor’s Advisory Council, Senator Hosea Agboola, received some loyalists of Ladoja at Government House. Led by the state chairman of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Comrade Wole Abisoye, they pledged allegiance to Makinde and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Abisoye said he stayed away from the recent meeting of the party led by Alli with the APC because PDP was a better home.