Pope Francis was buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, his favorite church in Rome, on Saturday afternoon, after a two-hour funeral service held in St. Peter’s Square, the Holy See said.
Earlier, some 150,000 people bid farewell to the pope from the roadside as his funeral procession passed through central Rome, according to estimates by the Vatican.
Earlier, leaders and dignitaries from around the world attended his funeral service, held in St. Peter’s Square.
The pontiff died at the age of 88 on Easter Monday.
Some 150,000 people watched Pope Francis’ funeral procession through Rome from the roadside, according to estimates by the Vatican.
The pontiff’s coffin was brought to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, the pope’s favourite church in central Rome, in an old popemobile, following the funeral service in St Peter’s Square.
The convoy travelled through the centre of Rome, passing some of its best-known sites including the Forum and Colosseum, accompanied by several escort vehicles and police motorbikes.
Some 250,000 gathered for the funeral service, both in St Peter’s Square itself and in the surrounding streets.
In total, the authorities counted around 400,000 people, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said, according to media reports.
The United Kingdom Government has deported 43 individuals, including failed asylum seekers and convicted foreign offenders to Nigeria and Ghana as part of its ongoing border security measures under the “Plan for Change.”
According to a report published Friday on gov.uk, the deportees included 15 failed asylum seekers, 11 foreign national offenders who had completed their prison terms, and seven individuals who voluntarily agreed to return.
This marks the second deportation flight to Nigeria and Ghana since the last general election, raising the total number of deportees to these two West African nations to 87. Officials highlight that this reflects strengthening diplomatic ties and cooperation on immigration enforcement between the UK, Nigeria, and Ghana.
Since the current administration assumed office, over 24,000 individuals have been deported—a figure representing an 11% increase compared to the previous year. Deportations of foreign national offenders specifically rose by 16%, with 3,594 criminals removed from the country.
Authorities emphasised that all removals were conducted “in a dignified and respectful manner.”
Angela Eagle, the UK’s Minister for Border Security and Asylum, commented, “This flight demonstrates how international partnerships deliver on working people’s priorities for swift returns and secure borders. Through the Plan for Change, we’re going further in restoring order to a broken system, accelerating returns of those with no right to be here and closing expensive asylum hotels.”
She thanked the governments of Nigeria and Ghana for their role in facilitating the deportations, stressing the mutual commitment to disrupting organized immigration crime.
Baroness Chapman of Darlington, Minister for Irregular Migration at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), added, “Working internationally is critical to tackling irregular migration. I welcome our strong cooperation with Ghana and Nigeria to return those with no right to be in the UK and deliver on the Plan for Change.”
This deportation operation follows the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, where the UK convened over 40 countries, including Nigeria and Ghana, to intensify the global fight against smuggling gangs and secure international borders.
A disturbing reality has played out for years without the knowledge of many: an unregulated ovum-trading industry has been preying on vulnerable young women, especially students of Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions. With no clear national law governing egg donation, many clinics and fertility centres are operating without transparency or accountability. Some of their activities are shrouded in secrecy with exploitative motives at the expense of women’s health, ALAO ABIODUN reveals.
“There is this offer that I know that can help improve your financial situation as a student, and that is selling your eggs. It will make you better off. These eggs are being flushed out of your body anyway. At least the eggs that you have no need of can be put to use for someone else and you even get paid for it handsomely.”
Those were the words of a woman in her mid-forties re-echoed by 22-year-old Imade Ayodeji (not her real name).
The woman in question had walked up to Imade, posing as a medical expert while she was reading in the school garden on a cool Friday evening.
To Imade, the monetary offer came at the right time. She is one of the many young ladies who have had to sell their eggs to meet their financial needs. It has helped to fund her education and also provide her a temporary relief from financial struggles.
Imade said her family was struggling to make ends meet, and could not provide for her anymore.
Investigations by The Nation revealed that over the years, many young females in secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria have embarked on egg donations in order to make quick money. In the process, many of them run into quack doctors whose actions may affect their health.
A recent advert seen by our correspondent on a Facebook group “Egg Donation and Surrogacy” reads: “Egg donors on period or about to start ungently needed in different places in Abuja 160k to 200k; Lagos mainland and Island 150k to 200k. DM me if you are on your period or about to start”.
The post elicited flurry of comments with many expressing their intents.
Over the years, many fertility clinics, usually through their agents, have been profiting from the misery of these ignorant young girls, turning a blind eye to the health challenges they encounter afterwards.
Findings by our correspondent revealed that these individuals who pose as agents or middlemen also profit from the exploitative act. They try to influence donors through monetary and non-monetary benefits, especially to see the donation as natural and fulfilling.
Twenty-year-old Chiamaka, a female undergraduate (not her real name), said: “Agents will come and meet you. They’ll also tell your fellow students to talk to you about it too.
“It starts from them telling you to donate blood for money.
“Do you know how much pressure I was under to sell my eggs in my 200 level?
“They will sweet-talk you and tell you it is 150k (N150,000) per egg and you will only take one injection.
“They would not tell you how the injections will affect your overall health o…
“You can make like N7,000 per pint of blood, and you can donate up to 4 pints.
“But do you know if you donate your egg, you can get 150k? And it is only one egg o.
“You can also donate multiple times.
“I remember those words like mad. There’s so much to unpack,
“Why are they in school environment? They are targeting students because they know they are a vulnerable population.”
For many young female undergraduates, the pressure of survival lead them to make choices no child should ever have to face.
In many developed countries like the United States, New Zealand and Australia, there are laws guiding IVF and other assisted reproductive techniques, but these are non-existent in Nigeria.
In the US, for instance, it is legal for a woman to donate eggs either anonymously or not. She can also receive between $30,000 to $50,000 as compensation.
The donor is required to sign a contract that ensures she does not have any legal rights or responsibilities to any resulting children or embryos.
Although the woman who receives the egg will not be a genetic relation of the child, legal documents will record her as the birth mother.
In New Zealand, Canada and France, monetary compensation is banned outrightly.
A research titled: “Analysis of Level of Awareness of Health Risks Associated with Egg Donation among Female Undergraduates of Universities in Nigeria” revealed that there is generally a low level of awareness of health risks, as well as procedures associated with egg donation among female undergraduates.
These females revealed that the financial inducement they received from the process was not worth the donation.
What is egg donation?
Egg donation involves an egg cell, also known as an oocyte, being extracted from a donor and utilised to create an embryo during the process of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).
Egg extraction procedure, also known as egg retrieval, is a minimal surgical procedure that removes eggs from the ovaries. The procedure is typically performed in a hospital or fertility clinic under sedation or general anaesthesia.
The process of egg donation is neither simple nor without risks involved. Women are subjected to a series of hormonal treatments designed to stimulate their ovaries to produce multiple eggs.
The side effects can be severe, ranging from mood swings and weight gain to more serious complications such as Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS).
After some minutes, the doctor places her in a surgical suite in the clinic. She is given intravenous sedation to minimise discomfort during the procedure.
A thin needle, guided by ultrasound, is driven through her vaginal wall to reach the follicles that contained eggs. The needle is connected to a suction device and test tube, and the fluid and eggs are pulled into it.
The process is repeated for other follicles in both ovaries. She is later taken to a recovery room and allowed to rest for a few hours.
That done; the eggs are examined and taken to a laboratory for evaluation and preparation.
Donors are selected based on maturity for fertilisation.
Eggs extraction process
1. Ovarian Stimulation – The person takes hormonal injections for about 10–14 days to stimulate multiple follicles (which contain eggs) to mature in the ovaries.
2. Follicular Monitoring – Ultrasounds and blood tests track follicle growth and hormone levels to determine when the eggs are ready for retrieval.
3. Trigger Shot – A final injection (hCG or Lupron) is given about 36 hours before retrieval to induce final egg maturation.
A thin needle is inserted through the vaginal wall (not through the abdomen, and no external cuts are made). The needle is guided by ultrasound to reach the ovaries. The doctor suctions out the fluid from each follicle, which contains the eggs. The procedure usually takes 10–20 minutes.
5. Egg Processing – The extracted fluid is examined in a lab, and mature eggs are isolated for freezing or fertilization.
Selection criteria for egg donors
According to one of the terms of agreement seen by our correspondent with respect to the ovum trading deal, some of the conditions to be met includes: “Egg donor may be or may not be known to the recipient couples
“Healthy, between the ages of 21 and 27 years with no known history of mental disorders.
“No family history of genetic or inheritable diseases.
“An egg donor will go through the IVF process of drug injection and vaginal ultrasound egg collection, allowing her eggs to be given to the recipient.”
Once the eggs are collected from the donor, they are fertilised with sperm from the recipient’s partner.
Although it is possible to transfer embryos two or three days later, embryos are more usually frozen for transfer later once the recipient’s uterine lining has been prepared for pregnancy with hormone tablets of estrogen and progestogen.
Why multiple eggs?
Unlike the normal menstrual cycle, where typically only one egg is released, IVF stimulation aims to mature multiple eggs to increase the chances of success. Usually, 5–20 eggs are retrieved, depending on the person’s response to the medication.
Egg donation side effects include mild bloating, abdominal pain, breast tenderness, and mood swings, typically resolving post-treatment. Rare risks like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) affect ~1% of donors, possibly needing medical care. Long-term health risks aren’t confirmed, but research is limited, leaving some uncertainty
Generally, egg and sperm donation is no different from blood donation, apart from the differences in the donation process. Of the three tissues, egg donation has the more robust process, requiring a regimen of injections over a period of time. Sperm donation, on the other hand, has the simplest process that could last less than five minutes to conclude.
Who owns the baby?
One of the many conundrum that has been recurrent in the ovum-trading discourse is that of genetics, and the question of who owns the baby?
Buying and selling of female eggs or donating sperm have become one of the recent public health concerns and the practices have generated global discussion involving its ethical, religious, physical, social and health risks as regards to the egg donor.
A scenario of a male student who donated his sperm was painted. He asked whose baby will it be if he donates his sperm to a woman and she gets pregnant and eventually delivers a baby? Whose child would he see the baby as — his or the ‘foster’ father’s?
This scenario was extended to the level of the society — how will the society see and treat the child born with a donated egg or sperm?
Victims recount ordeal
During a visit by our correspondent to one of the fertility clinics in Lagos, the atmosphere reeked of exploitation as teenage girls were reduced to mere commodities who were there for ovum trading in exchange for money.
It was not a place anyone chose to stay, but for some girls, it was the only choice left. Fertility clinics are now a pleasant home for them — the price of survival paid with trading their eggs.
An agent, addressing potential donors, told a story of how donors do not read through agreements before signing up.
She said: “A lady went to donate at a clinic on Lagos mainland. She was given a form to sign. Instead of reading through it, she just signed.
“After donating, she was paid N20,000 because they only retrieved six eggs. She started causing trouble, only for the nurse to show her the form she signed and it was written there that if they got less than 10 eggs she would be paid N20,000.
“If she had read through and understood the terms, she would have known and likely back out.
“A surrogate who signed a contract and didn’t read it was not paid after delivery and she started calling the agency and sending people to call them, only for her documents to be shown to her guarantor and it was stated clearly that delivery fee would be paid two weeks after delivery, and she signed.
“If she had read through it, she would have known what was written in the document.
“Please, always learn to read and understand posts and payment plan,” she urged.
Some of the female donors, who pleaded anonymity, spoke with our correspondent.
One said: “I was introduced to it. I was just too scared to do it. A lot of my hostel mates did.
“The worst part of it was that just a few of them used it to sort life issues. The rest bought shoes, bags and hair at that time. Chocolate Weavon was the bane of our existence then.
“It’s less than N150K. I paid my agent N30K, the nurses N20K, so I left with 100K, I think. I was so desperate and it seemed like the only thing I could do then.”
Another lady said: “I almost did in 2016/17. We even went to a hospital at Maryland but I couldn’t go through with it when they said I’d have to be injecting myself and store the injections inside the freezer.
“I didn’t have a freezer at the time, so I just let go.
“Funny enough, I met the girl that took me there at a job interview. She had done it herself and didn’t see it as a big deal.
“Me on the other hand didn’t know what I wanted to do. Just needed the money for my tuition and other school expenses.
“Thank God it didn’t work out”.
Explaining how a family friend was down with a life-threatening illness, Ms. Kemi said: “A family friend, after waiting for 10 years without a child, did IVF, and boom she had OHSS (Ovarian hyperstimulation Syndrome).
“Her tummy was so bloated we thought she was pregnant. She was the doctor’s first patient and there was no compensation.
“The doctor was just doing trial and error. She got her health damaged.”
UI raises health advisory on egg donation
The University Health Service of the University of Ibadan recently issued a health advisory against a growing trend of recruitment of its female students for egg donation for In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) by individuals, agents or agencies.
The university warned that while egg donation remains the hope of many families struggling with infertility, the measure should not be considered a permanent source of income or an alternative “side hustle” by members of the university community, particularly female students.
The memo with the title: “Health Advisory on Egg Donation”, reads in part: “It has come to our attention that there is a growing trend within the university community involving the participation and/or recruitment of female students as egg donors for In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) by individuals, agents, or agencies.
“While egg donation has brought hope to many families struggling with infertility, it is important to note that it should not be considered a permanent source of income or an alternative ‘side hustle’’’.
Speaking on the health implications, the memo explained that “egg donation involves the use of hormonal medications to stimulate the ovaries. This process carries several short-term risks, including abdominal pain, breast tenderness, bloating, mood swings, Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), infection and bleeding, ovarian torsion, potential injury to the bladder, nearby blood vessels, and bowel and psychological distress.”
Warning that the long-term effects reported by some egg donors include loss of fertility, the institution says it is important to note that current research is still inconclusive regarding who is medically safe to donate, how many times donation can safely occur and the ideal interval between donations.
Existing regulation on egg donation
The National Health Act of 2014 is the only law that attempts to regulate egg donation in Nigeria, but it doesn’t directly address it. Section 53 criminalises the buying or selling of any human tissue, blood or blood products, and since eggs are considered human tissue, this creates a legal grey area.
Egg donation itself isn’t explicitly illegal. There are no regulations or clear rules specifying who can donate eggs, how often or what compensation is fair.
As a result, many young women go through the process without proper counselling, medical support or clear information, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation.
Last year, the House of Representatives mandated its Committee on Healthcare Services to investigate the spate of illegal egg donations and practice of assisted reproductive health technologies in Nigeria.
The House urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Development, and the Ministry of Women Affairs to create support systems for women who have participated in egg donation to help address health complications and psychological impacts.
Consequently, the lawmakers urged the Ministry of Health and Social Development, and the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to intensify public awareness initiatives focusing on the risks and ethical considerations of egg donation to help inform potential donors and discourage exploitation.
These resolutions followed the adoption of a motion on illegal Harvesting and Commercialisation of Human Eggs in Nigeria moved by Hon. Kwamoti Bitrus La’ ori.
La’ori noted that the commercialization of human eggs, particularly in the context of illegal harvesting, poses significant ethical, legal and health concerns globally as the issue has gained prominence due to a growing demand for assisted reproductive technologies amid insufficient regulations in Nigeria.
The lawmaker also noted that Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly reproductive health, is still evolving, coupled with increasing infertility rates among couples seeking assisted reproductive treatments, thus leading to a flourishing market for human eggs.
She recalled that in 2021, Nigerian authorities discovered an illegal egg harvesting scheme in Lagos, where a network of medical professionals and agents lured young women, mostly students or low-income earners, with the assurance of monetary rewards for their eggs. Reportedly, women received between N200,000 and N500,000, or $120 to $300, for their participation, which is below international pricing standards.
Furthermore, the lawmaker recalled that “in 2022, an Abuja based fertility clinic was found in the illegal commercialization of human eggs to foreign clients, enrolling women under false claims of being part of legitimate egg donation programmes.
“Reports suggest the clinic’s online platform is inflating egg prices for international couples, underscoring the need for robust Nigerian regulatory frameworks to regulate fertility practices
“The absence of comprehensive legislation governing reproductive health in Nigeria has allowed these illegal activities to thrive.
“While the National Health Act provides some guidelines for reproductive health, specific regulations regarding egg donation and commercialization are lacking.
“Due to the effects of the worsening economic situation in the country, this illegal practice has thrived, with many young women seeking financial relief falling prey to unscrupulous practitioners who exploit their desperation for financial relief, ignoring the health risks associated with egg retrieval procedures as well as the unethical commodification of human life and the psychological impact on donors.”
Experts weigh in
According to medical experts, some women often ignore that actions taken against the natural state of their bodies can lead to serious consequences. Whether it’s abortion, egg donation, plastic surgery or Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL), it’s clear that these choices can have significant repercussions that one should be aware of.
Generally, egg and sperm donation is no different from blood donation, apart from the differences in the donation process. Of the three tissues, egg donation has the more robust process, requiring a regimen of injections over a period of time. Sperm donation, on the other hand, has the simplest process that could last less than five minutes to conclude.
Arguing in defence of egg donation, a medical doctor, Dr. Anifowose posited: “Less than 1% of the cases of eggs retrieval are serious, there’s no overall health affected asides the temporal side effects like mood swings, pain and bloating.
“The eggs you don’t use get destroyed in your body and come out through menstruation every month. It’s simply your choice.
“The only thing is a lot of these people exploit women by not paying reasonably. You can still have 20 children after the process if you want.”
A popular Twitter doctor based in the United Kingdom, Olufunmilayo Ogunsanya, on his verified “X” page said: “So you believe internet alarmists telling you they “didn’t know the risks” to such a serious medically invasive procedure like egg retrieval? You are allowing these clowns who are not ready to take responsibility for their own actions gaslight you?
“Except the procedure was done in an abbatoir or an unlicensed clinic, there’s no way they were not properly educated about the risks.
“If they are saying where they went is a dodgy unlicensed centre, then yes, maybe. And they should mention the name of the place.
“But if it is not an unlicensed centre, please stop allowing people who later regret their actions and evade accountability by hiding under “ignorance” bamboozle you with sob stories.”
A lawyer, Sunday Benjamin, argued: “Egg donation is illegal. Informed consent must be clear, voluntary, and based on full disclosure of risks.
“If a clinic or agent lied, withheld crucial details or pressured someone into donating eggs, the consent is invalid, and those exploited may take legal action.”
Similarly, Dr. Ose Etiobhio said: “Any hospital that takes consent without telling you the risk is a dangerous hospital. They must tell you the frequent and complicated risks.
“Egg donation consent form is just like you being planned for a caesarean section or a brain surgery.
“It’s a procedure that has its risks, and any good clinician must never hide that.
“It’s common knowledge. But a few Nigerian clinics would hide this from you.
“They know the risk, even the facilities explain the procedure to you before coming for the d-day procedure, because they need you to be on your third day of menstruation.
“Some girls just do it because they feel they can reproduce more eggs.”
Health expert, Dr. Benedict, said: “It’s deeply troubling to learn about the rampant and exploitative egg harvesting practices in our country.
“Our young women, driven by financial needs, are unknowingly putting their health and lives at risk.
“This isn’t just a health crisis, it’s a violation of human rights.”
Parenting coach, Wendy Ologe who wrote on “The Dark Side of Nigeria’s Egg Harvesting Industry: A Silent Exploitation of Young Girls, lamented that Nigeria has become a hub for the egg harvesting industry, with many fertility clinics and hospitals engaging in the trade of human eggs for assisted reproduction.
She said: “Beneath this seemingly scientific and medical process lies a dark and deeply troubling reality young girls, often from vulnerable backgrounds, are tricked, coerced, or lured into selling their eggs for a fee.
“Many of these girls, some as young as 18, have no real understanding of what egg donation entails. They are promised large sums of money, only to be exploited, manipulated, and left with long-term health consequences both physically and emotionally.
“Egg harvesting requires a woman’s ovaries to be stimulated with powerful hormones to produce multiple eggs, which are then retrieved through a medical procedure.
“In Nigeria, many desperate or unsuspecting girls are recruited under false pretenses.
“The recruiters often target young women from villages, universities, or economically disadvantaged backgrounds, promising them financial rewards and a simple, risk-free process.
“These girls are then taken to fertility clinics sometimes in Abuja, Lagos or other major cities where their bodies are subjected to rigorous medical procedures without proper explanations or consent.
“Many are misled about the risks, lied to about their own eggs being “bad” or “useless,” and ultimately paid far less than what they were promised.
“Some don’t even realise they’ve undergone an invasive procedure until it’s too late.”
• Accuses them of ‘sipping tea, making deals with Tinubu’
• APC to defectors: We have room to accommodate all
• More confusion as dispute over National Secretary rages
• How party got two ‘National Secretaries’ in two days
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday sought to rationalise his frequent switching of political parties and allegiances, saying defections, alliances and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics.
“We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again,” he said in response to criticism of his planned coalition with some politicians ahead of the 2027 elections, and this week’s mass defection of his core supporters in Delta State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Among the Delta defectors was Atiku’s running mate in the 2023 presidential election, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.
Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, had called the Thursday defection shocking and painful to the party.
The defection seems to have only added to the myriad of crises ravaging the party.
It emerged yesterday that confusion still surrounds the office of the PDP National Secretary.
The Nation gathered that two conflicting memos were issued during the week naming different persons, Architect Setonji Koshoedo and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, as the rightful occupant of the office.
Atiku, in the statement posted on his verified X handle @atiku, accused his critics of hypocrisy and selective outrage.
“When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called strategic alliance. But the moment I greet Peter Obi, el-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency,” he said.
His statement: “I have been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand my position on the latest political shifts, particularly the defection of some PDP members to the ruling party.
“Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy — they are fundamental rights. Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society: the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these and democracy itself begins to crumble.
“As someone who holds fast to these values, I bear no grudges against anyone for exercising their right to political alignment. Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics. We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again.
“Some have resorted to insults because I visited former President Muhammadu Buhari. Let’s not rewrite history: Buhari is not only a former leader but a significant statesman in the Nigerian political landscape.
“During the 2013 opposition merger, the leaders of the time consulted widely — including visits to Obasanjo and Babangida. So why is it now sacrilegious for me and other leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna?
“If you truly believe in freedom of association, then you must respect the rights of all political actors to engage, regardless of party lines.
“When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called strategic alliance. But the moment I greet Peter Obi, el-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency. Hypocrisy and the politics of selective outrage have never been this fashionable!
“Let us be clear: the coming political battle is not APC versus PDP, or LP versus APC. It is Nigerians versus an administration that has plunged the nation into untold suffering.
“The economy is in free fall. Inflation is choking the masses. Jobs are vanishing. Youth restiveness is surging to terrifying levels. Nigerians are not just tired — they are angry, and rightfully so.
“This moment is about collective survival. The real enemy is not one another — it is the Tinubu administration’s abysmal failure. We must reject every attempt to distract us with ethnic, regional, or religious sentiments. These are tools of manipulation, designed to divide and conquer, used by those with nothing else to offer.
“The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division, because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent. And make no mistake— an incompetent captain does not only wreck his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board.”
Net citizens lash out at ex-VP
Critics responded immediately to him on social media.
Some of the reactions:
logicoversentiments@majorlouwe: “The question is when are you defecting to APC??”
Characteristix@Metalistix: “Your statement on the defection of your running mate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa @IAOkowa, is a master class in evasion, deflection, and selective principle.
“The question Nigerians are asking is not whether people have the right to defect — they do. The real issue is what such defections reveal about the integrity, coherence, and ideological emptiness of a political campaign @Atiku led not long ago.
“If even your own running mate no longer finds the platform viable, what does that say about your leadership or the direction of the @OfficialPDPNig?
“Even more ironic is your attempt to take the moral high ground on political realignments. You are the same man who has defected across party lines more times than any major Nigerian politician in recent history — from @OfficialPDPNig to ACN, to @OfficialAPCNg , and back to PDP.
“In many ways, you’re the architect and symbol of Nigeria’s culture of political nomadism, which makes your silence on Okowa’s move feel more like self-preservation than statesmanship.
“Rather than confronting the internal rot and crisis within the PDP — including defections, disunity, and waning public trust — you simply divert attention to the failures of the Tinubu administration.
“Yes, the ruling party deserves criticism, but this should not serve as a convenient escape route from addressing the collapse of leadership within the opposition itself.
“It’s not hypocrisy Nigerians are reacting to; it’s the insult to their intelligence when political leaders talk circles around issues they are too compromised to confront.
“Leadership demands clarity, not cowardice. And silence in the face of political betrayal from within one’s own camp is not restraint — it is abdication of responsibility.”
“With all due respect, sir, the best you can do for PDP is to step aside, become the elder statesmen you should be, and allow the party to find a new and vibrant leader. Keep in mind a strong opposition is good for democracy to thrive.
Ragnarok @SimoncoleB: “I think you laid the foundation when you joined APC a while back”
EBITU @EbituPromise: “The same people who walked out of PDP in 2014 and triggered its collapse are now the ones crying.”
Dendebuller@toofighting: “Personally, I think you have tried, and it’s time for you to take a backseat from active politics and throw your weight behind a young and brilliant candidate.
“At your level, it should be a shame if you do not have a mentee that you can entrust Nigeria into their capable hands.”
A former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George, had last week accused Atiku of betraying the PDP on account of his planned floating of a mega party and his recent visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Those who are now talking about forming a mega party — what is the purpose of that? You belong to a solid organisation, the PDP, and yet you’re meeting with Baba Buhari. Is he a member of our party? Was this discussed with anyone in the PDP? Is this a private company?” George said on ARISE Television.
“Look at General Buhari shaking hands with these guys. Is he one of us? We fielded you against him, and he trounced you. Now you’re running to him?”
We have rooms to accommodate all, APC assures decampees
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC yesterday told new members of the party that it had enough rooms to effectively accommodate all.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Felix Morka was in Abuja yesterday to welcome Senator Kawu Sumaila-led New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) decampees from Kano State that formally decamped to the governing party on Thursday.
Sumaila, a Senator representing Kano South and former Secretary to the Kano State Government, Dr. Baffa Bichi, along with some former and serving members of the National Assembly and the State House of Assembly, were formally received into APC by the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Thursday in Abuja.
Welcoming the new members Morka said: “Our great party applauds this decision and assures the incoming leaders and their teeming supporters of effective accommodation in the APC family.
“We are confident that this development, a clear endorsement of the focused leadership of President Bola Tinubu, will further galvanise support for the administration’s unprecedented multi-sector reforms, and position the party for overwhelming victory in Kano State in the upcoming 2027 general elections.”
Meanwhile, sources within the opposition NNPP in Kano State hinted that plans have been concluded for a mass defection of party members into APC in May
Oborevwori’s defection sparks discontent in PDP; APC in buoyant mood
The APC, which is still savouring the mass defection from the PDP in Delta State, has set machinery in motion to formalise the registration of new members.
The party officially notified all Local Government Chairmen to collect Registration Booklets.
The APC, in a statement by the State Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo, said the registration of new members was a crucial step toward ensuring their full integration into the party structure.
“We encourage all new members to visit their local ward chairmen and complete the registration formalities to formalise their membership,” he said.
State Chairman of the APC, Mr Omeni Sobotie, was quoted as saying: “The influx of members into our party is a testament to the growing trust in our leadership and the promises of unity and progress that we offer. These new members are crucial to APC’s future in Delta State.”
It added that new members are expected to play a vital role in the party’s goals of achieving “Renewed Hope” for the people of Delta as it prepares for upcoming political challenges.
With a growing number of PDP defectors swelling the ranks of the APC, the party is now positioning itself to capitalise on the strengthened unity and increased influence ahead of future political contests.
It was gathered that Governor Sheriff Oborevwori may dissolve his cabinet to accommodate original APC members.
Some PDP leaders at ward level are said to have expressed surprise at the defection of the governor and others,
One of them from Delta Central, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said neither he nor his constituents were involved in any meeting or decision to leave the party.
Some PDP loyalists in the state have asked former PDP chair, Chief Solomon Areyenka, and all other executives and stakeholders at various levels who decamped to the APC to officially tender and publish their resignation letters.
The group insisted the step is essential for proper documentation and to distinguish between committed party loyalists and political opportunists.
They made the call in a statement released by the group’s secretary, Henry Onokpekun,
According to them, Senator James Manager lacked the authority to speak for the entire PDP family in Delta.
They said: “He can only speak for those who were present at that meeting. PDP still remains Delta, and Delta still remains PDP. This party cannot be wished away by a single pronouncement.”
They challenged the validity of the defection, noting that PDP remained solidly rooted at the grassroots and that no constitutional process was followed to indicate a formal disbandment or mass resignation from the party’s structures.
The group warned APC to be wary of what it described as the “entry of political mercenaries” into its fold, stressing that many of the defectors may be attempting to maintain dual loyalties.
“What we are seeing is a clear case of political hedging. Some are simply following the tide blindly without knowing what they’re entering into. Many will quickly return to the PDP when their expectations are dashed,” the group said.
.According to the group, the defectors, particularly those in leadership, have reportedly secured personal political deals that may not favour their followers, who are being dragged along without full disclosure.
A PDP state executive member who spoke on condition of anonymity said: “I am unsure of my job with this defection. The feeling amongst many of us is apprehension as events are in a state of flux right now. We are unsure that we will retain our jobs less than one year into office.”
He said newly elected PDP members and appointees were concerned about being edged out, stressing that Governor Oborevwori’s defection will pose more issues as the fight position intensifies.
Oborevwori made wisest decision, says Philip Shaibu
Former Deputy Governor of Edo, Philip Shaibu, has described the Delta defections into the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) as a vindication of his position.
He said the defection of Delta Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori and all his appointees and immediate past governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, was an eye opener to many that had not seen it coming.
Shaibu, who spoke in Abuja, said that he foresaw and predicted this scenario while still in the PDP few years back, but was misunderstood.
His words:“I remember when I was leaving the PDP some of you asked me why I was leaving, and I said, I do not see a future for PDP in Nigeria because of the way the players are handling the party.
“The players were not democratic. The leadership was not democratic, and I shouted, and then I was asked to keep quiet.
“This is because the players that I see in charge of the party and the way I see things happening does not show what PDP actually stands for.
“I predicted that in less than one year, as at that time, if they don’t change, the PDP will be history in Nigeria, Then, I was still a member of the party. So, it’s not like I was not a PDP member.
“Some of the feelings I have, they also share the same feeling. I see more governors leaving. No progressive governor can remain in PDP.
“I salute the courage of the Delta governor, and I say the wisest decision he has taken in his political career is what he did on Wednesday.”
How PDP got two national secretaries within 24 hours
Between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, the PDP officially acknowledged two persons for the position of National Secretary.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Head of the Department of Administration at the party’s National Secretariat, Alhaji Gurama Bawa, issued a memo to all staff that the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Damagum, had directed that Architect Setonji Koshoedo, who was Deputy National Secretary, had now become acting National Secretary.
The internal memo titled ‘Appointment of Acting National Secretary’ and distributed to all offices and staff at the PDP national headquarters stated thus:
“I am directed by the Ag. National Chairman to inform all Staff that Hon. (Arch) Setonji Koshoedo, Deputy National Secretary (DNS) is now the Acting National Secretary of our great party till further notice.
“In line of the above, all party correspondences should be channeled to Hon.
(Arch) Setonji Koshoedo. You are kindly requested to accord him all the necessary support and cooperation as the Acting National Secretary of our great party.
“This is for your information and guidance please.”
The memo with reference number PDP/NS/EST/146 apparently gave effect to the advice contained in resolutions made by the PDP Governors’ Forum during their meeting in Ibadan on April 14, 2025 as part of the 7-point resolution signed by Forum’s Chairman, Governor Bala Mohammed.
The governors recommended that the Deputy National Secretary should take over from Anyanwu ‘pending the nomination and ratification of a substantive secretary from the South East Zone’.
However, in reaction to the position of the Governors’ Forum, Anyanwu declared that there is no provision in the party’s constitution that allows a handful of party men to unilaterally invalidate the PDP constitution or the decision taken at a national convention that elected him as National Secretary for a four-year term in 2021.
At the Exco Hall of the PDP National Secretariat where Ambassador Damagum was presented PDP’s Certificate of Return to the party’s candidate for the November 8 Anambra State governorship election, Jude Ezenwafor, Koshoedo was introduced as the party’s acting national secretary while Anyanwu was absent.
It was later gathered that Anyanwu had remained in his office just one floor above the event venue, with confidence that the situation was going to be temporary.
Twenty four hours later, a counter memo emerged from the same Alhaji Gurawa Bawa, saying Senator Samuel Anyanwu had formally returned to his position as PDP National Secretary.
The new memo with same reference number but a different date directed all PDP staff to note that Senator Samuel Anyanwu has returned to office as substantive National Secretary ‘with immediate effect’
“Consequently the (previous) circular mentioned above should be disregarded null and void and of no consequence,” Bawa said.
A Supreme Court judgment of March 21 this year had invalidated two lower judgments relied upon by PDP Governors’ Forum and other PDP forces to prop up Udeh-Okoye, but rather than return to the status quo ante, forces opposed to the prevalent influence of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike in PDP affairs preferred to interpret the Supreme Court judgment as an opportunity for party elements to redefine who and how to replace Anyanwu.
• State still fragile despite relative calm, says Ibas
• House accepts Sole Administrator’s apology; reschedules hearing
• Court urged to halt further release of LG allocations to Rivers
The National Assembly has described the 11 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) controlled states as meddlesome interlopers in regard to the suit filed by them to challenge the declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.
The National Assembly also claims that the PDP states lack the locus standi to institute the case at the Supreme Court.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) during a meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight yesterday said the state remained fragile despite its present relative calm.
He said the situation thus required careful handling.
However, a former Deputy Speaker of the state, Marshall Stanley-Uwom, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja to seek its order to stop the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation (AG-F) and the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) from further releasing allocations to local governments in Rivers State.
The plaintiff claims that by virtue of the provisions Section 7 (1) of the Constitution and the Electoral Act and the Supreme Court decision in the case of AGF v. AG, Abia State and others (2024) LPELR-62576 (SC), it is illegal to continue to release allocations to Rivers LGAs which currently do not have elected chairmen.
The National Assembly, in its counter affidavit to the suit, argued that the 11 states failed to show how the state of emergency affected them more than the people of Rivers.
The 11 states, which sued through their Attorneys-General are Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.
The National Assembly said it validly approved the state of emergency by adopting the voice vote method.
It queried the court’s jurisdiction and prayed the Supreme Court to either dismiss or strike the suit out with a N1billion against the plaintiffs.
Listed as respondents in the suit marked: SC/329/2025 are the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the National Assembly.
The defendants faulted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs, arguing that no court could issue injunctions to restrain it from performing its constitutional responsibilities, including approving any further state of emergency.
“The plaintiffs are complete meddlesome interlopers and lack the standing in law to institute this suit, especially against the second defendant,” the defendants said.
They added: “The suit ,amongst others, seeks the setting aside of the ratification or approval of the proclamation of state of emergency in Rivers State without the briefing or authority of Rivers State government or its people to any of the plaintiffs.
“The plaintiffs have not established any legal rights against the second defendant (the National Assembly) to enjoy the equitable remedy of perpetual injunction.
“Nothing has been set up or shown to establish how the proclamation of state of emergency over Rivers State has affected any of these eleven states (plaintiffs) who now seek that same be set aside.
“No case has been made out for the court to grant the reliefs, make the declarations, grant the injunctions and orders sought in this suit by the plaintiffs.
“Any order of injunction against the second defendant, restraining them from using voice votes will amount to gagging the Legislature and will go against the principles of separation of powers.
“The second defendant is constitutionally empowered to regulate its procedures in the way it functions and applies discretion as it deems proper.
“There is nothing that makes voice vote in the circumstance of the ratification or approval of the State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025 unconstitutional.
“The approval of the proclamation of State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025 is not inconsistent with the provisions of Sections 1(2), 4(6), 5(2), 11(2) and (3) and 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and not unconstitutional.
“The Houses of the National Assembly by voice votes, approved and ratified the Proclamation of State of Emergency having met the mandatory constitutional prescription of more than two-third majority of all the members of each House of the second defendant present.
“A perpetual injunction cannot be made restraining the second defendants from approving further Proclamation of State of Emergency if declared.
“The court cannot set aside and or nullify the Official Gazette No. 47 of 2025, State of Emergency (Rivers State) Proclamation, 2025 made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria based on perceived irregularity of procedure of approval by the second defendant.
“Due process was not followed in the institution of this suit by the Plaintiffs before taking this step against the second defendant.
“There is no dispute between the plaintiffs and the second defendant to warrant the jurisdiction of this court in this matter.
“There is no dispute between the Plaintiffs and the Government of Nigeria.
“The plaintiffs failed to issue the requisite three months pre-action notice to the Clerk of the National Assembly before the institution of this suit against the second defendant.
“The plaintiffs took no steps to obtain the resolutions of the Houses of Assembly of each of the States to enable the plaintiffs institute this suit before this court under the Supreme Court Original jurisdiction law.
“There is no cause of action against the second defendant as no threat emanated from the office of the second defendant to the plaintiffs.
“The suit seeks to curtail and dictate to the second defendant the procedure or regulations on how to get the 2/3 majority of their votes or how they are to make approvals to ratify proclamations of state of emergency under section 305(6)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“The suit seeks to restrain the defendants by perpetual injunction from carrying out its future constitutional duties because of perceived threats to the plaintiffs as claimed by them.
“The National Assembly, by voice votes, rightly and properly approved and ratified the Proclamation of State of Emergency in Rivers State after obtaining the votes of more than two-third majority of all the members of each House.
“The plaintiffs lack the locus standi to institute this suit as none of the plaintiffs has shown that it has suffered anything far and above any other persons or people of Rivers State.
“There are no disputes involving any question (whether of law or fact) on which the existence or extent of a legal right depends between the parties.
“The plaintiffs’ states’ Houses of Assembly did not pass any resolution by a simple majority of the Members present and sitting at the time of the resolution authorising the plaintiffs to institute this action.
“The suit of the plaintiffs is speculative, unfounded, frivolous and a vexatious waste of resources, time and energy of the 2™ Defendant.
“It is in the best interest of justice for the court to dismiss this suit against the second defendant with a cost of N1,000,000,000.00 (one billion naira) only, jointly and severally against the plaintiffs.”
Besides filing a counter affidavit to challenge the suit’s competence, the National Assembly equally filed a notice of preliminary objection in which it raised similar issues.
Rivers still fragile despite relative calm, says Sole Administrator
Vice Admiral Ibas during his meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight yesterday expressed regret over his inability to honour previous invitations from the committee.
He acknowledged the critical role the committee plays in preserving the democratic and constitutional integrity of the country, and assured its members of his willingness to fully cooperate in their ongoing assignment.
He said that despite the return of some degree of order to the state, it remained in a fragile condition, pointing to the need for careful and measured interventions.
The Sole Administrator appealed to the committee for more time to properly gather and prepare a comprehensive report on the state’s affairs.
He stressed that the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the transitional period in Rivers made it necessary to approach every detail with caution and thoroughness.
“Given the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the current transitional period in Rivers State, it is important that any engagement with this committee is done with the depth, accuracy and clarity it rightfully deserves,” he explained.
Ibas assured the committee of his full cooperation moving forward, and promised to ensure that all relevant information would be made available in due course to aid the committee’s work.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, underscored the constitutional role of the National Assembly in legitimising and overseeing the state of emergency declared in Rivers State.
He stressed that the federal legislature remains central to the state’s transitional process.
Prof Ihonvbere reaffirmed the committee’s constitutional mandate and expressed satisfaction that the administrator had finally honoured the invitation after earlier delays.
He emphasised that the committee’s mandate was rooted in constitutional authority and that some of its terms had already been communicated to the administrator in an earlier letter.
Citing relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution as amended, Ihonvbere reminded the administrator that the power to declare a state of emergency under Section 305 rests with the President, but that the National Assembly must approve it before it becomes effective.
“For that state of emergency, the gazette must be sent to the National Assembly for approval. It’s only that approval that gives life to the state of emergency. I repeat that so that you know how critical the National Assembly is to that process,” he said.
He further referenced Section 11(4) of the Constitution, which empowers the National Assembly to take over the legislative functions of a state assembly when it is unable to function.
“That also means that all functions of the state House of Assembly, including budget approval, must come to the National Assembly and, by implication, this very committee,” he explained.
Ihonvbere used the opportunity to clarify the committee’s efforts to engage with the administrator from the onset of the crisis.
He noted that despite multiple attempts, including written correspondence, there were delays in securing the administrator’s appearance.
The chairman encouraged the administrator to feel at ease, stressing that the committee members had been carefully selected to ensure broad representation across geopolitical zones and legislative experience.
“I want you to feel relaxed because the members you see here were carefully selected based on zonal representation and membership of the House—to advance the progress that Rivers State needs to make in order to be part and parcel of the holistic structure of democracy that Nigeria represents today,” he said.
He reiterated the committee’s readiness to discharge its duties with diligence and fairness in the interest of the people of Rivers State and Nigeria at large.
“We have demonstrated again and again our preparedness to do this job efficiently and effectively,” he assured.
Prof Ihonvbere acknowledged that the meeting was held at the administrator’s request and expressed optimism that it would mark the beginning of a collaborative process toward restoring stability in the state.
“We are glad you are here as you promised yesterday. This meeting actually at this time was at your instance, and we are happy that you are here. So you are welcome,” he said.
After the meeting, Ihonvbere said a new date for a meeting would be announced.
Humble yourself, no amount of protests can bring peace to Rivers, Wike tells Fubara
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike yesterday told the suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara to humble himself because no amount of protests could bring peace to Rivers.
The former Rivers governor insisted that peace would not be restored in Rivers except there was sincerity of purpose from all parties involved in the crisis.
Wike said the ongoing emergency rule averted serious calamities that would have befallen Rivers.
Wike spoke during a church thanksgiving service to mark the 70th birthday of a former federal lawmaker, Ken Chikere, in Port Harcourt.
Wike criticized traditional rulers and other leaders of the state for allegedly taking sides with the suspended governor in the political battle.
He said that since the crisis, they had failed to reconcile the warring parties.
He condemned the new trend of deploying women to protest on the streets of Port Harcourt saying no amount of naked protests would restore the suspended elected officers.
He said the only thing that could bring peace to the state was a sincere reconciliation of both parties irrespective of their political leanings.
Wike said: “One month after Mr President in his wisdom declared a state of emergency to save Rivers State from anarchy, I challenge any Rivers so-called elder, even the traditional rulers, what attempt have they made to bring total peace in the state.
“I challenge any so called 90 years, 200 years, what effort since one month and one week has seen that there is total reconciliation in this state.
“No amount of going to television to abuse anybody will bring peace, because we have always said that those who thrive in crisis, when there is crisis they are happy, when there is no crisis there is no food on the table. Those people cannot be real elders.
“There is no need of embarrassing our women to be naked outside. No amount of such can bring peace, no amount of such blackmail can bring peace. What can bring peace is for you to humble yourself and say for the interest of the state I want everybody to work together.
“If you are sincere, everybody would have known. I told our leaders, yes, some people have tried to approach me. I received them. I did not pursue them, but seeing me alone does not bring peace.
“There are critical stakeholders that must be involved in the process of this peace making. Nobody will be excluded. If any group will be excluded it means there is no total peace.
“Members of State Assembly and National Assembly must be involved. The two political parties must be involved, other leaders must be involved. In that way, we will now know that they are sincere in talking about peace.”
Ex-Deputy Speaker asks court to halt further release of LG allocations to Rivers State
Listed as defendants in Stanley-Uwom’s suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/797/2025 are the President of Nigeria, the National Assembly, the Senate, the Senate President, the House of Representatives, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Administrator of Rivers State Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retired), the CBN, the AG-F and the FAAC.
The plaintiff, through his team of lawyers led by Sylvester Evbuomwan, is contending, among others, that by virtue of the provisions Section 7 (1) of the Constitution and the Electoral Act and the Supreme Court decision in the case of AGF v. AG, Abia State and others (2024) LPELR-62576 (SC), it is illegal to continue to release allocations to Rivers LGAs which currently do not have elected Chairmen.
He also faulted Iba’s decision to sack elected chairmen in the state, claiming that the state of emergency declared has lapsed because the National Assembly allegedly failed to secure the required votes to legitimise the declaration by the President.
Stanley-Uwom stated, in a supporting affidavit, that upon taking over the affairs of the government of Rivers State, Iba’s (listed as the 7th defendant, sacked all the elected officers in charge of the affairs of the Local Government of Rivers State and appointed a new set of Local Government Caretaker Committee to run the affairs of the LGA’s in Rivers State.
“The 7th defendant also removed from office the Chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) appointed and confirmed by the Rivers State House of Assembly and appoint a new Chairman and members for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
“The 8th, 9th and 10th defendants (CBN, AG-F and FAAC) have been releasing allocations accruable to the LGAs of Rivers State to the caretaker committees appointed by the 7th defendant and also releasing to the 7th defendant all allocations accrued to Rivers’ state.
“The 7th defendant is utilizing the fund of Rivers State without parliament appropriations.”
Stanley-Uwom wants the court to declare that by virtue of Section 305 (6) (b) of the Constitution, the proclamation of state of emergency in Rivers State
issued by the President has ceased to have effect in the absence of a resolution supported by two-thirds majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly approving the Proclamation.
He is equally praying for the following reliefs:
*A declaration that by virtue of Section 197 and 198 of the
Constitution of the 7th defendant cannot legally remove from office the Chairman and members of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) appointed and confirmed by the Rivers State
House of Assembly and appoint a new Chairman and members for the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
*A order that the state of emergency in Rivers State issued and or proclaimed by the President has ceased to have effect.
*An order compelling the 7th defendant to immediately vacate the office of sole administrator of Rivers State and allow the democratically elected Governor of Rivers State resume his office.
*An order restraining the 8th, 9th and 10th defendants from releasing allocations accruable to the Local Government Councils of Rivers State from the Federation Account to the unelected officials appointed by the 7th defendant as caretakers.
In a public notice by the Commission on Friday, the four suspects based in Nigeria are: Adefowora Olanipekun, Adefowora Oluwanisola, Emmanuel Uko and Seyi Oloyede.
Others named as their foreign accomplices are: Johnson Otieno, Israel Mbaluka, Joseph Kabera and Serah Michiro, who the EFCC also declared wanted.
CBEX recently drew widespread public scrutiny. Users of CBEX raised a series of complaints that they were unable to withdraw their funds, raising suspicions that the platform may have collapsed.
While some still maintain that CBEX is operational, others have called it a Ponzi scheme. The platform claims to offer users a 100% return on investment within a month and rewards referrals, with all transactions conducted in USD.
The anti-graft agency published the separate wanted notice across its social media platforms on Friday.
“The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear above are wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes.” The terse separate statements said
According to the EFCC, Oloyede Uko and the foreign accomplices were last traced to No. 166, Idimu Egbeda Road, Lagos State.
But Oluwanisola and Olaonipekun were last known to reside at 13, Jimoh Odutola, Ogungpa, Ibadan, Oyo State.
The commission urged members of the public with any useful information regarding the whereabouts of the suspects to reach out to the EFCC through its offices in Ibadan, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt, or Abuja.
Recently, a federal high court in Abuja granted permission to the EFCC to arrest and detain six CBEX promoters over a $1 billion.
In the application filed by the EFCC, the six suspects named are Olanipekun, Oluwanisola, Uko, Oloyede, Avwerosuo Otorudo and Chukwuebuka Ehirim.
The former Rivers Governor insisted that peace would not be restored in Rivers except there was sincerity of purpose from all parties involved in the crisis.
Wike said the ongoing emergency rule averted serious calamities that would have befallen Rivers.
Wike spoke in a church thanksgiving service in honour of the 70th birthday of a former federal lawmaker, Ken Chikere, in Port Harcourt.
He said no amount of protest could restore the suspended leaders to power unless they embraced sincerity of purpose.
Wike lambasted traditional rulers and other leaders of the state for taking sides with the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara in the political battle.
He said that since the crisis, they had failed to reconcile the warring parties.
He condemned the new trend of deploying women to protest on the streets of Port Harcourt saying no amount of naked protests would restore the suspended elected officers.
He said the only thing that could bring peace to the state was a sincere reconciliation of both parties irrespective of their political leanings..
Wike said: “One month after Mr President in his wisdom declared a state of emergency to save Rivers State from anarchy, I challenge any Rivers so-called elder, even the traditional rulers, what attempt have they made to bring total peace in the State.
“I challenge any so called 90 years, 200 years, what effort since one month and one week has seen that there is total reconciliation in this state.
“No amount of going to television to abuse anybody will bring peace, because we have always said that those who thrive in crisis, when there is crisis they are happy, when there is no crisis there is no food on the table. Those people cannot be real elders.
“There is no need of embarrassing our women to be naked outside. No amount of such can bring peace, no amount of such blackmail can bring peace. What can bring peace is for you to humble yourself and say for the interest of the state I want everybody to work together.
“If you are sincere, everybody would have known. I told our leaders, yes, some people have tried to approach me I received them. I did not pursue them, but seeing me alone does not bring peace.
“There are critical stakeholders that must be involved in the process of this peace making. Nobody will be excluded. If any group will be excluded it means there is no total peace.
“Members of State Assembly and National Assembly must be involved. The two political parties must be involved, other leaders must be involved. In that way, we will now now that they are sincere in talking about peace.”
Wike asked his followers and loyalists especially the 27 members of the Assembly.to rejoice over their victory at the Supreme Court.
He said: “One thing you must go home and jubilate is this, assembly maintained there seats and you are able to set aside that kangaroo election. If anybody says you are nobody, that person must have a mental problem. So, we need peace, but let it be to the total of sincerity.
“Let it be yes, I am not coming to play like a decoy, not when you come and see somebody and you tune television, people are abusing the same person, that cannot be sign of peace.”
Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia has explained why he cautioned former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi from visiting his state.
Alia, who spoke during an interview with TVC news — “Beyond the headlines…”, faulted Obi for failing to adhere to protocols, especially informing him of his proposed visit.
He further rubbished Obi’s claims that he attempted to reach him.
Obi cancelled his scheduled visit to Benue State, citing a cautionary statement issued by the State Government for shelving the trip.
Obi has expressed disappointment over the political undertones surrounding the visit, saying the move to halt his activities reflected a growing trend of politicising charitable efforts in the country.
The Labour Party chieftain had planned courtesy visits and stops at internally displaced persons camps and health facilities in the state, but a statement from the state government warned against unscheduled visits, citing security concerns.
Reacting to Obi’s statement, Alia said: “I’m the one bearing the brunt and pains of the people in my state. The very respected Peter Obi was a governor, and if you’re coming to someone’s state, there are protocols.
“You’re a person of very high personality, and you’re coming to someone’s state, and your party does not know that you’re coming, and I the sitting Governor did not know that you’re coming, and you’re going to where I’m protecting people i.e the IDP camp. It is my duty to protect them.
“So, I don’t know the intent you have. Is it not courteous enough just to know as a sitting Governor and even to provide more security for you, and to prepare the minds of the IDP that you’re coming to visit them?
“His attempts to say he reached me is not the true story. If he couldn’t reach out to me, I’ve a Chief of Staff, I’ve an SSG, and i also have a PPS. Saying he reached out to my ADC is not true. That’s not even the duty of the ADC either.
“How would I have known that Peter Obi’s intent is just to come and visit these people at the IDP. I don’t want people politicizing the IDP. They were not there when we were suffering with them. They are not there in their own sorrow. I am there with my people.
“If you’re bringing some food to them, I need to know what kinds of food. This is the fact, and there are protocols. We need to observe them. You can just move in from Abuja, and say you’re moving to IDP. Do I know the intent of why you’re visiting the IDP? I’ve to know, so that no one is coming to attack them.”
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), has said that although the state is relatively calm, it remains fragile.
He indicates the peace being experienced is still delicate and requires careful handling in the face of a continuing political transition.
Speaking during a meeting with the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight on Friday, Ibas acknowledged the critical role the committee plays in preserving the democratic and constitutional integrity and assured members of his willingness to fully cooperate in their ongoing assignment.
He expressed regret over his inability to attend earlier engagements with the committee.
“Today is exactly ten days after the first invitation, and in between we’ve had four days that were off calendar as public holidays, plus the weekends inclusive,” he said.
He clarified that his absence was not intended as a slight on the committee but due to the pressing and urgent demands of stabilising governance in a deeply troubled environment.
“The absence, of course, was not out of disregard, but rather due to the weighty and urgent demands of stabilizing governance in a state under a declared emergency,” Ibas explained.
He reiterated his regard for the committee’s efforts to ensure accountability and effective oversight during the ongoing transition in the state.
“I have always held the National Assembly in the highest regard. I recognize the importance of your oversight responsibilities and your interest in the progress being made in Rivers State,” he stated.
However, despite the return of a degree of order, Ibas emphasised that the state remains in a fragile condition, pointing to the need for careful and measured interventions.
“Rivers State is presently relatively calm, but still fragile,” he warned.
The Sole Administrator appealed to the committee for more time to properly gather and prepare a comprehensive report on the state’s affairs.
“I only request your understanding and the indulgence of this committee to grant me additional time to adequately prepare and present a comprehensive and constructive briefing,” he said.
He stressed that the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the transitional period in Rivers made it necessary to approach every detail with caution and thoroughness.
“Given the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the current transitional period in Rivers State, it is important that any engagement with this committee is done with the depth, accuracy and clarity it rightfully deserves,” he explained.
Ibas assured the committee of his full cooperation moving forward, and promised to ensure that all relevant information would be made available in due course to aid the committee’s work.
“I remain fully committed to cooperating with the committee and to ensuring that all relevant information is made available in due course to support your important work,” he said.
He concluded his remarks by thanking the chairman and members of the committee for their patience and dedication to national service, while also appreciating members of the press for their ongoing role in supporting the federal government’s efforts in Rivers State.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Rivers State Oversight, Prof Julius Ihonvbere, underscored the constitutional role of the National Assembly in legitimising and overseeing the state of emergency declared in Rivers State.
He stressed that the federal legislature remains central to the state’s transitional process.
Ihonvbere reaffirmed the committee’s constitutional mandate and expressed satisfaction that the administrator had finally honoured the invitation after earlier delays.
He emphasised that the committee’s mandate was rooted in constitutional authority and that some of its terms had already been communicated to the administrator in an earlier letter.
Citing relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution as amended, Ihonvbere reminded the administrator that the power to declare a state of emergency under Section 305 rests with the President but that the National Assembly must approve it before it becomes effective.
“For that state of emergency, the gazette must be sent to the National Assembly for approval. It’s only that approval that gives life to the state of emergency. I repeat that so that you know how critical the National Assembly is to that process,” he said.
He further referenced Section 11(4) of the Constitution, which empowers the National Assembly to take over the legislative functions of a state assembly when it is unable to function.
“That also means that all functions of the state House of Assembly, including budget approval, must come to the National Assembly and, by implication, this very committee,” he explained.
Ihonvbere clarified the committee’s efforts to engage with the administrator from the onset of the crisis.
He noted that despite multiple attempts, including written correspondence, there were delays in securing the administrator’s appearance.
The chairman encouraged the administrator to feel at ease, stressing that the committee members had been carefully selected to ensure broad representation across geopolitical zones and legislative experience.
After the meeting, Ihonvbere said a new date for a meeting would be announced.
He said a statement on the update on the situation would be released by the House Spokesman.
Citizens from 43 countries can now visit the United States for up to 90 days without a visa, thanks to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
However, travellers must meet specific requirements and obtain approval through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before boarding their flight.
ESTA is an online system managed by US Customs and Border Protection that determines eligibility for visa-free travel under the VWP. It’s important to note that the stay must not exceed 90 days, and travelers must apply for ESTA in advance.
The VWP covers travel for tourism or business purposes. Participating countries include the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore, among others. Countries like Nigeria and India are not part of the program.
Who is not eligible for ESTA?
Even if you’re a citizen of a VWP country, you will not qualify for ESTA if:
You have visited or were present in North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen on or after March 1, 2011.
