The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) has accused Benue Governor Hyacinth Alia of attempting to manipulate public sentiment against SGF George Akume by making “deliberate and unfortunate” insinuations in a recent media appearance.
The reaction followed the Governor’s appearance on Channels Television where he alleged that the SGF and his associates had not spoken out on the worsening insecurity in the Sankera axis of Benue State.
Governor Alia also claimed he possessed a report from a state-appointed panel that allegedly indicts certain individuals based in Abuja for sponsoring the violence.
In a statement over the weekend by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs in the SGF’s office, the federal official refuted the governor’s insinuations, describing them as misguided and misleading.
“If the Governor of Benue State has expected that the SGF would be seen in the media discussing the efforts he has been making in that regard, then it betrays either a lack of understanding of governmental administrative procedure, or he is deliberately and unfortunately seeking to manipulate public sentiments against the SGF,” the statement reads.
The SGF’s office emphasised that Senator Akume has been “deeply involved” in the fight against insecurity, within and beyond the bounds of his constitutional responsibilities, and that such interventions have been channeled appropriately through the Federal Executive Council.
“As a member of the Federal Security Council, His Excellency Governor Hyacinth Alia very well understands how the Federal Executive Council functions, and how it is through its channels of communication and administrative action, in which the SGF is centrally involved, that several security interventions have been made to Benue State,” the statement added.
The SGF’s team further defended lawmakers from Benue State whom Governor Alia allegedly labeled as “cronies” of Senator Akume, noting their consistent efforts to spotlight Benue’s security crisis on the floor of the National Assembly.
“Distinguished Senators Titus Zam and Emmanuel Udende, as well as members of the House of Representatives from Benue State, have been most vociferous on the floor of the NASS in calling attention to issues of insecurity in Benue State.
“These efforts have resulted in motions that have gotten the attention and action of the Federal Executive Council,” Kuanum said.
Addressing the Governor’s remarks about the yet-to-be-released panel report, the SGF’s office stressed that due process demands such documents be vetted and transformed into a White Paper before being considered an official government position.
“But since His Excellency the Governor has chosen, perhaps as a result of how burning the issue is, to let the cat out of the bag before the administrative procedure, we urge him to make good on his word and expose those involved,” the statement urged.
It challenged the Governor to forward the names of those indicted in the report to both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Security Council, adding that preemptive public accusations without administrative backing could carry national security implications.
“The Governor must understand that his allegations and preemptive indictment of the persons so fingered now carry the weight of national security concern and must be treated as such,” the SGF’s office stated.
The statement also advised Governor Alia to adopt a more inclusive and transparent approach to combating insecurity, particularly by engaging with local communities.
“Such an approach will help to shape for His Excellency a consistent position regarding the crisis—such as whether it is foreign terrorists, Benue people themselves or whoever is responsible—thereby eradicating his seeming confusion as to who actually is responsible,” the statement added.
Despite the pointed response, the SGF reiterated his commitment to supporting peace efforts in Benue State and elsewhere.
“Senator George Akume remains committed to the best interests of Benue State and the well-being of the people and is doing everything in his official and private capacity to ensure the eradication of insecurity,” it stated.
Kuanum ended the statement with a note of reconciliation, expressing prayers for the governor’s continued strength and guidance in navigating the state’s challenges.
Ganduje spoke at Akama-Oghe in Ezeagu local government area when he led the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji and other prominent members of the party to officially receive the member representing Udi/Ezeagu federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha and the entire Labour Party structure in the constituency into the APC, at the weekend.
With his defection, Umeha, the former LP lawmaker, is the first elected political office holder to be produced by APC in Enugu state since the inception of the party in 2014.
Those who defected with him were: Hon Dennis Amadi, former member of House of Representatives (Udi/Ezeagu, 2015-2023), and Enugu West senatorial candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 general elections; Hon Emma Ogbozo, LP House of Assembly candidate, Udi North constituency; Barr Chibuzor Onyema, LP House of Assembly candidate, Udi South; as well as the entire LP executives in the 40 Wards and two local government areas of Udi/Ezeagu federal constituency.
Speaking at the reception, Ganduje, who was represented by Chief Emma Eneukwu, APC Deputy National Chairman, South, boasted that the current PDP-led government is in its last term, as the APC would take over the governance of Enugu state in 2027.
He said: “APC is the transformer giving light to Nigeria, even the governor himself, governor of Enugu state himself is running around begging to know if he will join APC, but we say fa, fa, fa…foul! I’m telling all the Labour Party members, the person that asked me to come here is the National Chairman of APC, Dr. Umar Abdullahi Ganduje.
“He said I should tell Hon Cyriacus Umeha, Hon Dennis Oguerinwa Amadi, and all those that joined APC with them, including Hon Emma Ogbozo my friend, that you have made the right decision. You will not be disappointed.
“You see that man that is governing Enugu now, he has ended his reign, I can tell you reliably that he has finished his one term; the way he came is the same way he will go. So you have taken the right decision because you have connected yourself to the national grid, light never goes off from the national grid. So you’re welcome to APC.
“We have a new Governor in us, what he is doing is just waiting, he is waiting for 2027 to assume his position as the governor of Enugu state and we know his capacity; that is when people will enjoy good governance”.
Eneukwu decried what he called high taxation in Enugu state especially against the poor masses.
Former Imo Governor Ikedi Ohakim has praised President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration for taking measures that, though painful, have prevented the complete deterioration of the national economy.
Delivering a paper titled: “Building Nigeria’s troubled economy: Practical insights into the challenges and solutions” at the Synod of Diocese of Orlu (Anglican Communion), Ohakim said President’s economic reforms saved the nation’s economy from total collapse.
“The Tinubu administration has taken measures that, though painful, clearly prevented the complete deterioration of the national economy to an irretrievable point.
“Agreed, Nigerians are reeling under excruciating pains as a result of some of the measures, but even though it is hard to sell, there can be no doubt that there is a brighter future ahead,” he stated.
Ohakim highlighted the success of the subsidy removal policy, noting that petrol is now available across the country at a lower price.
“At the initial stage of the removal of the subsidy on Petroleum products, Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) was sold at over N1,500 per liter. Today, it sells at about ₦900 per liter all over the country.”
He also commended the Tinubu administration for freeing up funds for State Governments, enabling them to pay salaries and implement projects.
“Today, the subnational governments, that is, the state governments, receive more money from the Federation account. Many of the governors are putting it to good use,” he stated.
Using Imo State as an example, Ohakim cited the road revolution and ongoing electricity project as evidence of the positive impact of the Tinubu administration’s policies.
“The road revolution going on needs not be overemphasized because it is there for all to see. The Uzodimma administration is undertaking an electricity project that is expected to guarantee a 24-hour electricity supply in all 27 local government areas of the state before August 2027.”
However, Ohakim called for restructuring of the nation’s political structure, saying: “The urgency of our situation demands a new normal, a clear and different structure through which our people will be organized to face the changing world.”
He expressed confidence that President Tinubu possesses the courage to undertake this task.
The Director-General of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), Dr. Umar Tanko Yakasai, has declared that the emerging opposition coalition aiming to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general elections is bound to collapse, citing a lack of public trust and credibility among its promoters.
Addressing journalists in Abuja over the weekend, Yakasai said the coalition, made up of political actors with questionable records, would not gain traction with Nigerians, many of whom remember the failures of the opposition when they held power.
“In Nigeria, we have seen that after every election, the losers tend to cry the loudest even when they performed abysmally when given the opportunity to serve the people.
“What APC has come to do is to clear the mess of past misgovernance by the Peoples Democratic Party for 16 years,”Yakasai said.
He pointed to past scandals during the PDP era to bolster his argument, including the disappearance of $16 billion earmarked for power infrastructure and the Halliburton bribery scandal, which led to a conviction in the United States but no major prosecutions in Nigeria.
“You can remember that it was in this country that $16 billion meant for power infrastructure went missing, it was in this country that we had the Halliburton scandal for which an American senator was jailed but collaborators in Nigeria have not faced the law,” Yakasai stated.
He warned that the opposition’s lack of a unifying agenda beyond their shared desire for power would ultimately doom any attempted alliance.
“It is easy for coalitions to meet because of their interests but when it comes to time to agree, they will naturally disagree because that is in their character. In any case, when coalition meets, many of their members have been moving into APC in droves,” he said.
Yakasai dismissed fears that Nigeria was slipping into a one-party system amid a flurry of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that party-switching occurs in all directions in a democracy.
He argued that President Tinubu’s administration has made bold economic reforms that demonstrate a seriousness of purpose absent in previous governments.
Chief among these, he said, was the removal of the fuel subsidy and the unification of foreign exchange windows.
“The first major achievement of this administration is to do away with the unsustainable fuel subsidy that became a monster consuming resources, billions of Naira, that would have been used for national development but ended up in the pockets of a few individuals.
“The second thing is that streamlining of the parallel foreign exchange market which hitherto saw a few connected persons doing round-tripping—getting foreign currency from the Central Bank and instead of using it for manufacturing or industry, they go and sell to forex dealers in the black market”, Yakasai noted.
According to Yakasai, these measures were crucial in halting what he described as the “destruction” of Nigeria’s economic system and have laid the foundation for sustainable growth.
Looking ahead, the TSG Director-General urged Nigerians to be patient and continue supporting the administration, assuring them of significant improvements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and the economy as Tinubu’s reforms take full effect.
“They should exercise patience and continue to support President Tinubu. I can guarantee them that by the time the various policies take full effect, there will be a lot of benefits that will come to Nigerians in terms of road network, health infrastructure, education, security, and significant improvement in the economy,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of continuity, stating that the true fruits of the reforms would only be visible if Tinubu is re-elected.
“You can’t start reforms and stop them midway, some of them require continuity for them to fully mature. Nigerians should remember that even other presidential candidates had equally promised to remove petrol subsidy, but the problem is that they would not have managed the consequences as professionally as President Tinubu is doing.
“As such, Nigerians should be patient and Insha Allah, there will be more progress and it is only when you guarantee continuity that you will see full results and manifest success in the next two years; moreso when President Bola Tinubu comes back for a second term”, Yakasai said.
Yakasai, who oversees various pro-Tinubu support groups across the country, reiterated his confidence that Nigerians would ultimately choose stability and continuity over recycled political figures who, according to him, squandered their chance at governance in the past.
Founding member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu has appealed to the Federal Government to adopt and implement the recommendations of Justice Muhammadu Uwais Electoral Reform Committee in honour of the late Chief Justice of the country.
His appeal was contained in a statement in Abuja on Sunday to commensurate the passing away of legal icon, Chief Mike Ejeagha and former Minister of Education, Prof. Jibril Aminu.
Shortly after the 2007 general elections, former President Umaru Musa Yar’adua set up the Justice Muhammadu Uwais Electoral Reform Committee following malpractices that marred the election.
The report of the committee, which was submitted in 2008, recommended sweeping reforms on order to ensure the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission, curbing electoral fraud, and strengthening democratic.
The former Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON) lamented the non-implementation of the recommendations of the committe 17 years after by successive administrations.
He noted: “The Uwais Report was meant to enhance higher percentage of voters participation, reduce electoral malpractices and engender free, fair, credible and transparent elections, and most importantly, the public nomination of chairmen and members of electoral commissions at the national and state level.”
Okechukwu submitted that the best tribute to Justice Uwais is to posthumously adopt and implement the fine tenets of his report, as the only politically correct solution of restoration of democracy and global recognition.
He appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of urgent national importance, muster the political will and clear the Uwais debt burden by amending the constitution, albeit to make public appointments of chairmen and members of both national and state electoral commissions mandatory.
Okechukwu opined that “not only will the amendment consolidate local government financial autonomy, in addition Almighty God has graciously obliged Mr President all the necessary arsenal viz, cordial relationship with the National Assembly and same synergy with about 30 State Governors, as well as the overwhelming endorsement of Nigerians in this regard.”
The APC chieftain prayed for the repose of the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Uwais, Chief Mike Ejeagha and former Minister of Education, Prof. Jibril Aminu.
Ekid Peoples Union(EPU) has flayed the paramount ruler of Ibeno local government area of Akwa Ibom state, Professor Effiong Archianga, for scoring the immediate past administration of Udom Emmanuel low on performance.
The monarch in a recent interview described Emmanuel as the worst Governor the state had ever produced and who did nothing for his Ibeno people in eight years in power.
However, President General, Ekid People’s Union, Dr. Samuel Udonsak described the traditional ruler’s statement against the immediate past Governor as uncharitable.
Udonsak in a statement to journalists on Sunday in Uyo said Archianga was using his exalted position to peddle malicious and unfounded allegations against Emmanuel.
“Professor’ Archianga seeks to portray is definitely nothing more than a wicked attempt to distort history and destabilize the peace that Governor Udom Emmanuel worked so hard to institute, nurture and protect.
“One must wonder what would prompt such a diatribe against a former governor who has since completed his tenure peacefully and given his successor the free hand to implement the ARISE Agenda across the state.”
He posited that the utterances are designed not to build, but to tear down and they stand in stark contrast to the verifiable records of Udom Emmanuel’s tenure.
He argued: “Records that speak for themselves and cannot be erased by propaganda. For instance, before the emergence of Udom Emmanuel, no road had been constructed in lbeno.
” It was Governor Emmanuel who constructed a 19.5km dual carriage road linking Ibeno to Eket Local Government Area, opening up the region for commerce and development.
“This same Governor ensured that for the first time in history, an illustrious son of Ibeno rose to become the highest political office holder in the entire Eket Federal Constituency.
” it is also unfair for the Monarch to posit that no Ibeno son served in Udom’s government as Commissioner, whereas that government first appointed Mr Ekpenyong Enyinna as Commissioner before appointing Chief Okpolupm Etteh as his successor.
“These are not indications of a “worst governor”; they are legacies of a governor who believed in equitable development and fairness. Contrary to the Paramount Ruler’s bitter rhetoric, Udom Emmanuel’s government was a beacon of inclusive governance.
“Under his leadership, every local government area, including Ibeno, witnessed road projects and infrastructural development. He did not rule for one community or one party. He ruled for the entire Akwa Ibom State, restoring peace and prosperity and giving every citizen a renewed sense of belonging.”
Speaking on some of the achievements of the former Governor, the Ekid leader said, “Governor Emmanuel did not just build roads and bridges; he built people. Twelve general hospitals were remodeled and equipped.
“The Itam Multispecialty Hospital was brought back to life, and civil servants were never owed salaries, a testament to his belief in governance as a tool for vice. He may not have been faired well in upsetting all the arrears of gratuities owed civil servants, but he never owed them pensions.”
He added that to describe such a leader as “the worst Governor” is either the product of a mind clouded by age-related forgetfulness or of a heart hardened by greed and a phobia for peace.
He said:”History will remember Governor Udom Emmanuel as one of the best governors Akwa Ibom has ever produced, a governor who left the state better than he met it, and whose legacies continue to speak louder than any insult ever could.
The Ekid peoples union leader added: “While some talk, others work. While detractors hurl insults, Udom Emmanuel built roads, industries, and lives. While political opportunists sow division, he sowed peace and unity. Governance is not about noise: it is about impact. And the impact of Udom Emmanuel’s administration is etched in the roads we drive on, the hospitals that save lives, the jobs that feed families, and the peace that binds communities.
“Let those who thrive on crisis find another stage for their performance. Akwa Ibom has moved beyond bitterness and division; it is on the path of progress, built on the solid foundation laid by leaders like Udom Emmanuel.”
In the last six years, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule has ran an all inclusive government devoid of politics to develop the State through the deployment of scarce and prudent spending, reports LINUS OOTA.
Before the ascension of Deng Xiaoping to power, China was a closed economy with the State in control of all productive assets. But when Xiaoping became the paramount ruler in 1978, he came up with an economic liberation policy that freed industrial enterprises from the control and supervision of the government.
He allowed factory managers to determine production levels and pursue profits for their enterprises. He also opened up Chinese companies to foreign investments. Xiaoping encourage free enterprise by allowing individual Chinese to make personal economic decisions.
He similarly supported the acquisition of skills and promoted technical education. This resulted in the production of skilled, well educated technicians and managers who spearheaded China’s economic development. Today, China is not just the world’s second largest economy after the USA, it is also world’s fastest growing major economy, with growth rates averaging 10 percent over a period of 30 years.
So prosperous has China become that it was able to move 800 million people out of poverty between 1978 and 2008. But all these feats are a consequence one thing, Xiaoping’s policy to liberalize the Chinese economy. Though Xiaoping died in 1997, the transformative power of his economic liberalization policy is still very much alive.
Six years after his election as Nasarawa State Governor, Engr Abdullahi Sule has proved that the people of the State who elected him as Governor have not made a mistake, as he has worked extremely over hard to transform Nasarawa State, for six years.
The results of his dedicated work on the state is the success of the various reforms, the myriad of projects, and the affection of the common people, concrete evidence that indeed he gave the Job his all in the last six years, which has led to the birth of a modern Nasarawa State.
Governor Sule on assumption of office in 2019, had no option but to administer the very painful but difficult decisions so as to improve the quality of life of the people of Nasarawa State. Central to Abdullahi Sule’s politics are the people, from the onset, he took decision to complete all ongoing projects and abandoned projects while initiating new ones to all sectors of the State economy.
Sule’s campaign slogan “industralising Nasarawa to build an economy that will take youths off the streets” , is a reflection of that genuine commitment, to improving the welfare of the people.
This explains why in the last six years, there is no sector that Governor Sule’s transformative leadership hasn’t fundamentally impacted. It has been breathtaking. And there are no signs, Engr Sule, is about to slow down as he definitely wants to maintain that momentum and finish strong.
He had told some former commissioners recently that he would want his remaining two years to be the most productive years
According the Governor, his administration has two years more to be able to demonstrate its performance.
“We have roughly two good years to operate. I want to make sure that these two years that we are running are some of the most productive two years that we ever had in this our administration,” he said.
He said that explains why he gave the contractor handling the construction of the multi billion naira new state secretariat complex a dateline to complete the project, not only the first phase that has been completed but the second phase also.
This is just as he emphasized that his administration will work very hard to ensure that revenue is generated in order to implement the budget, especially that the State has the largest budget ever in the history of the State, estimated at over N384bn.
“The budget that we have now is N384bn. I came into the state when the total budget was around N90bn. That was, on average. Now, we have a budget that is big enough to cover the entire four years. I know for Nasarawa State that it is a huge budget. We need to get up. We need to work as a people for the implementation of that budget. Budget is both ways, the right side and the left side, the input and the output. We have to work very hard to ensure that the revenue comes in for us to expend,” he stated.
He however expressed satisfaction that the state is beginning to witness better revenue, and that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is determined to turn around the economy of the country.
“We are beginning to get commendations from outside the state. I am not worried about the one you get from within the state because they said a prophet is not honoured in his home. We have two years to be able to show our performance, to set certain records. I’m happy that all of you came. I am happy with all your kind comments. I don’t want to leave quietly. I want to leave with a bang, with a record that somebody is coming to follow up,” he said.
Governor Sule had in the last two years of his second term embarked on several landmark projects that have significantly altered the state’s infrastructural landscape, particularly in the capital city of Lafia.
Without infrastural facilities, there can’t be sustainable economic development, for the overall improvement of the living condition of the people. To make the state competitive, and preferred business destination, Governor Sule embarked on an aggressive urban renewal programme.
Notable projects include the N16 billion Lafia Flyover and Underpass, the Lafia Modern Secretariat Complex, and the 7-kilometer Shendam Road dualization.
These projects have generated excitement among the citizens of Nasarawa State, and the new network of roads as well as the flyover has eased traffic congestion and opened new layouts.
Other notable projects include the Akwanga City Underpass, the 3.5-kilometer dualization, and the Ntsakpe-Mada Hills bypass, aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the city center.
Additionally, the contract award for the construction of the Keffi Flyover is a testament to the Governor’s commitment to development and addressing a perennial accident at the popular Total round about in Keffi.
The six years old administration of Governor Abdullahi Sule has shown strong determination to take youths out of the streets since available white-collar jobs can no longer cater for the number of job seekers in the country. This calls for a means of engaging the younger generation in skill acquisition training in the vocation of their choice for both personal or commercial benefits.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state in fulfillment of this demand took far reaching measures on various entrepreneurship training offered by his administration.
The Governor is determined to create a society where youths will be self reliant with relevant skills in order to bridge the unemployment and innovative gap in youth productivity thereby making them gainfully employed.
The Wing Commander Abdullahi Ibrahim Vocational and Technology Institute established by Governor Abdullahi Sule offers entrepreneurship skills development such as, tailoring, mechanical engineering, solar panels system installations, wielding and several other skills that will help take the youths off the street.
Speaking exclusively to our correspondent on the idea behind the establishment of the Skills Acquisition Center, Governor Abdullahi Sule said, as a trained engineer who has strong believe in education for self reliance, the vision for the technical institute is all encompassing.
First, this institute is expected to impact necessary technical skills on the youths, as well as graduates of universities and polytechnics from other fields of study, who will be trained to become self reliance.
Secondly, the institute will be employed by factories that will spring up across the state. Thirdly, the manufacturing spare parts to be used by industries from within and outside the state.
Governor Sule’s experience while trying to eake a living and at the same time pursuing his academic programme abroad, must have fired his vision for acquisition of skills alongside formal education.
He had told Bukuru Old Students Association (BOSAT) who paid him a courtesy call recently that he set up the institute in appreciation for what technical education has done to him.
He recounted how he rose from being a janitor to a renowned engineer and now Governor. He said when he came onboard as Governor, he saw the establishment of the institute as an opportunity to bring his knowledge and experience to bear towards impacting on the lives of the people of the state.
He said he proceed on scholarship for the Indiana State University in the United States, explaining that his wielding background made it possible for him to successfully graduate, rise in his career and to become what he is today.
Speaking recently before a group of Journalists, Governor Abdullahi Sule said, so far his 6 years in office has been justified going by his achievements and pledge to consolidate on the commitment of his administration to turn around the fortunes of the State through the provision of infrastural development, attraction of investment, agricultural development, educational advancement, public service transformation, amongst others.
“I need to reiterate my resolve to continue to serve the State sincerely and with the fear of the Almighty. We shall do that with due diligence in line with our principles of accountability, transparency and prudent management of public resources.
“I assure you that the mandate given to us will continue to be justified. I must state that I’m everything we do, the dream of our founding fathers and the interest of the good people of Nasarawa State will continue to define our policies and programmes towards actualizing the Nasarawa State of our collective dream” Sule had said
Some of the other highlights of the inroads recorded by Governor Abdullahi Sule administration so far initiation of the Nasarawa State Cash Transfer S Hemet where beneficiaries receive the sum of N7,500 monthly.
In the area of education, the Governor said “we have facilitated the mass construction and rehabilitation of classroom blocks in our primary and secondary schools cross the state. This is based on our conviction that conducive environment enhances effective teaching.
“Similarly, we have employed about three thousand, five hundred (3.500) teachers into our State Secondary Schools. We also employed additional teaching and non teaching staff in our State tertiary institutions. This is geared towards enhancing educational development of our dear State.
“In our commitment to encourage Science and Technical Education, we have established the faculties of Engineering and Medicine in the Nasarawa State University, Keffi,” he added.
What has Engr Sule, apart from his colleagues is taking responsibility for the future. Since assumption of office in 2019, Governor Sule had committed to human capital development by investing in education, healthcare and social welfare; it’s thus not surprising that education and health sectors remain a priority and have deservedly been getting the highest yearly budgetary allocation, far beyond the United Nation’s recommendation.
Other achievements recorded by the administration are the absorption of 1000 casual workers into the State civil service with permanent employment status, approval for the allocation of the residential quarters occupied by civil servants on owner occupied basis, with another 300 housing units in Luvu allocated to workers through mortgage financing in addition to the promotion of all cadres f civil servants, including payment of backlog entitlements.
I’m the area of health, the Governor said he has constructed new hospitals and renovated and upgraded existing ones to meet up the modern standard.
It is therefore apparent to state that, six years after aggressive transformation of all the sectors of the State economy, Engr Abdullahi Sule, without doubt, has every bragging right having delivered a strong economy, surgically reformed the public service and institutions with effective service delivery, massive job creation, unprecedented infrastural development, a record number of new businesses, strong leadership and a budgeting system, that is performing for the greater number of Nasarawa citizens.
Engr Abdullahi Sule could have chosen the path of ‘minimum routine’, but that would not have been Engr Sule. Deceit is not in his dictionary, only last week he invited all the stakeholders of the state including National Assembly Members from opposition parties and inform them that the state government has received 9.75bn refund from the federal government for the Usman Danfodio Airport Lafia and ask them to outline projects they considered very important for him to deploy the money to. That is how transparent and accountable Engr Abdullahi Sule is.
His overwhelming victory in the 2023 election, despite gang up, was an impetus to do more in the second term. This quote by James Freeman Clarke: “A politician thinks of the next election – a statesman of the next generation”, best describes Engr Abdullahi Sule.
Leadership is the art of solving problems, not papering over them. Problems only persist for as long as leaders permit. By deploying the right policies, Governor Abdullahi Sule has been solving problems regarded as intractable, thus transforming both the people and the State.
By masterminding the development of the modern Nasarawa State, Engr Abdullahi Sule has etched his name forever in the hearts of the people, beyond the boundaries of Nasarawa State. In six years, Governor Sule has shown that development is possible with total dedication and commitment.
Though, Engr Sule still has two years to go, like Julius Caesar, he can proudly proclaim: “I came, I saw, I conquered”.
National Orientation Agency’s Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in this interview with Bola Joseph, states that the Tinubu administration has made tangible progress and explains that why Nigerians are not psychologically connected to their nation.
For long, the National Orientation Agency was an Intensive Care Unit patient. But over the last two years, it has found vigour and relevance. In what shape was the agency you took over, and what did you do to revive it?
It will not be a correct appraisal to say it was in an intensive care unit. It actually had nobody to take it to the hospital. It was completely derelict. The personnel were disoriented, disillusioned and completely dispirited, not because they were not willing to work and not because they were not patriotic enough and not for lack of competence, but because successive governments only paid lip service despite acknowledging the importance of the agency; despite understanding that beyond the economic situation, beyond the infrastructure decay, beyond the social condition of the people, the motivation for Nigerians to even cherish and love their county was not there and they knew that it was NOA’s responsibility to do.
Despite that, they knew that you could build a mansion, and when you don’t train your children, they would sell off that mansion. So you could build a country, but if you do not develop the human capital and the mind and heart of the people are not connected to the country, no matter what you do, it will go to nothing. You could have citizens who have developed beautiful infrastructure, fantastic world-class roads and bridges, and they climb the bridges to remove the railings to sell. You can build a world-class rail system, and they go and remove the sleepers on the rail track to sell because they are not psychologically connected to the country.
So that’s the situation; the mindset of Nigerians. And that’s why there’s so much disunity, especially with the kind of children that we have raised over the last three decades like the Gen Z, who have no reason to be patriotic or to want to love their country. We had all of these on the ground. Yet, the previous government didn’t see the need to pay attention to an agency that is set up and is mandated to address that. So that was the agency I met and the staff had gone into default; some kind of routine. Whatever came their way, they responded to. If they didn’t come to work, they weren’t bothered.
The challenge of rebooting the agency must have been daunting. What drove you on?
Well, two things. First, this is within my competence. I left journalism and trained as a communicator. Behavioural communication is one of the strong arms of my competencies. So I understand audience behaviour. I understand audience motivation. I know about sentiment. And I know some strategies on how to move from negative to positive. And that is the first reason why I felt I’d be able to make a difference. The second reason is the government under which I’m lucky to serve. I had a relationship with the President before he became President. I know his mindset; I know his thinking. I know if you work under his system, except you don’t want to function, he will back you. As long as we are able to put the right set of ideas on the table, he will give you all the support you need. You can have all the answers, but if you don’t have the enabler like the President or the government, you cannot go far. So, I have had these two factors working for me. Because of that, I knew I could do a few things here and make some difference.
How were you able to change the attitude of the staff to fit into your own plan for the agency?
What I needed to do was to spread my own conviction. I had a conviction that things would work and I had to go around the country. I met with the staff in the 36 states. I actually went to 812 office locations. We have offices in all the 774 local governments, we have in the 36 states and FCT and the headquarters, totaling 812 before the additional six that we just created. So I made them to understand that I also understood their situation and that we know the answers and that I could guarantee that the President would back us. So, I spread the message of hope. Invariably, I renewed their hope, and I told them to give me a chance.
Before I got here, like many Nigerians, the refrain was “These people don’t know what they are doing”, “Why can’t they just shut down the agency?” But when I got here, I realised that it was not the agency. The Christians say owo ni keke ihinrere, which means you need resources to be able to make things happen. So I was able to transfer that conviction that I have to them and so, at least, I moved them. As I said, I have competence in behavioral communication, so I was able to move them from negative to at least neutral. So it became much easier for me when they now saw evidence to make them to be positive.
How do you intend to keep them motivated?
I think we have passed that stage. The personnel are motivated already. What we need to do is to transfer that to Nigerians. Starting with myself, I was able to transfer that to the personnel. So, working with the personnel now is to transfer that to Nigerians so that Nigerians also can be motivated, and they can also now see reason to believe in the country. Just as we were able to make the personnel of NOA to believe in the agency. So collectively now, we are to make Nigeria to believe in Nigeria and that’s what we are doing. And we do not want to do a run-of-the-mill approach. We don’t want to take the easy way out. We have been methodical and we are social scientific about it. So that’s what we are doing. We studied what is on ground there are reasons why Nigerians are not psychologically connected to their country. And in the concept of association, you know, the sociologists will tell you that in the concept of association, an association must satisfy three basic needs. The first one is your moral need. If you are in an association where you think there is so much injustice, your interests are not protected and they are not satisfying your moral need as well as question a lot of the way they do their things, you cannot be committed to such an association.
The second need that an association must satisfy is your material need. They must be able to provide basic things that the association has promised to you as a member. So, the association in this case is Nigerian.
So the third basic need is your psychological need. You must have reason to be satisfied, to be sentimentally connected to the country. So they must have put conditions in place for you to love the country. And you cannot love a thing that has not provided some attraction because love is emotional in the same way patriotism is emotional. There must be an attraction for you to love something. So Nigeria must put attractive things in place to motivate Nigerians to say, “I’m proud of this country”.
No country in the world has provided everything the citizens want. But they’ve done enough to create a condition for people to have hope. And that’s why it was the most appropriate mantra or slogan for the President’s manifesto 2022-2023 election, when he said it’s a renewed hope. That’s giving people a reason to give him a chance. Two years down the line, we have moved from Renewed Hope to Hope Renewed. Because there are concrete facts on ground to show that we are on course; that the economy that we have today is our reality, not a make-believe and that we are not living a lie anymore. The Naira that you have, if you go to Forex market today, what you’ll find there is the true strength of Naira. Not padded, not aided. It’s the true strength of Naira. And a true economy should also reflect true strength of its economy. So, all we need to do is to enhance our productivity to continue to back up the Naira, for you to be able to fight and gain more strength in the market.
The opacity that you have in the oil and gas sector is taken out. We have clarity. We know what we are producing and what we are not producing. The infrastructure, we can all see that when there is an announcement of a construction, a road construction, it is not just an announcement. You go to that site within one month, you see work going on ceaselessly all across the country. That’s the way to renew hope. You had a subsidy regime that was turning people into billionaires overnight through round-tripping and rent-seeking. Now that has been taken out. We now have more resources for the Federal Government, for the state governments and for local governments. The evidence is there. If you go to the states, they have been able to do more. States that could not pay salaries are now paying debts. Not only are they paying salaries, they are also paying debts.
So, whatever situation you get to, that from almost nothing you are now in a situation to even pay off your debts, there is no other name to call that other than progress. So this is how we see it. And for an agency like this that has a dual mandate, first of communicating government policies and programmes, there are enough government policies and programmes. Within less than two years, we are now in a country where just anybody who wants to go to school can go to school because there are student loans. And in the most advanced nations, that’s what they do. So you, don’t have it better than that, it’s a win-win for the students, for the parents, the guardian, the school and the government. You don’t have ASUU strike in two years. You should ask why. It is, because the government is fulfilling its promises, not only that student loans afford the school bulk money to to invest in infrastructure, research, and you know, other necessary things that they require to have a functional academic environment. So you have all of this in place.
The energy sector is now diversified, it’s mixed. We don’t rely solely on petrol to fuel our cars. The CNG alternative is there, and it is growing exponentially on daily basis. So you have all of this moving on progressively. We can see it. We can feel it in the foreign airlines that had left this country before because of a backlog of unremitted revenues. They’ve been paid off, they are back, they are doing business.
Corporations are declaring profits much more than ever. We’re having foreign direct investment beyond portfolio investors. So there are too many things that you would ask yourself how possible within just less than two years that all of this happened. So our message in NOA is clear and direct. First, to continue to tell Nigerians to be focused, not to be distracted. Not only have we found our destination, we have also found a path to that destination and we have embarked on the journey. So you don’t look back, you don’t get distracted. Anybody saying anything otherwise is trying to throw a stone on the road for us to stumble. So these are just all the things that are in place for us, and that is why we in the NOA are excited. If you are under a government that doesn’t have things to showcase, you will take recourse to propaganda and call black white.
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun graciously clocked 65 on May 29, 2025, marking a significant milestone in his life journey. Being 65 in a country where life expectancy stands at 54.6 as against the global average of 73.3 years is no mean feat. It is not by might but by His Grace. Grace is an unmerited favour of God freely and randomly given to some select individuals. It’s not something that can be earned, but it is a gift from God. Amidst the vagaries and uncertainty of life, God gave Prince Abiodun another opportunity to celebrate one more year on this planet. And he didn’t take it for granted. He marked the anniversary with humility, modesty, and absolute reverence for the Power above: The awesome God.
On the auspicious occasion which coincided with the sixth anniversary of his administration, encomiums poured in torrent. From President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PAT) to his counterparts, friends, political associates, and other well-wishers, commendations came in abundance, pointing to the scope of the goodwill, friendship, and significant achievements he had attained over the years. It underscores people’s appreciation of his delightful disposition as a bridge builder and a great achiever.
President Tinubu set the tone for the Thanksgiving service held at the Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta, to mark the 65th birthday anniversary and six years in office of the governor. In his congratulatory message, President Tinubu praised Prince Abiodun for his contributions to Ogun State’s infrastructure development, including roads, housing, and public services, which have enhanced the state’s economy and improved the quality of life for its residents.
The President, who was represented by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said: “Your leadership over the past six years has transformed the entirety of Ogun State into a model of progress marked by notable advancements in infrastructure, social welfare, education, youth empowerment, agriculture, and food security.
“Through transparent and inclusive governance, you have fostered innovation, stability, and sustainable development, reflected in Ogun State’s rising profile as a leading destination for investment and a state with steadily growing Internally Generated Revenue.
“I commend your unwavering commitment to public service and the advancement of our great nation; your leadership remains a pillar of strength in our collective pursuit of national renewal and prosperity.”
Also, Akpabio, in his message, commended Abiodun for his developmental strides, stating that the governor had translated his vision into reality. In a statement loaded with humour, he said: “I was a bit scared when I landed today at the airport because I thought I would remain in history as the best-ever governor Nigeria has produced, but seeing what is happening here, it looks like people are trying to beat my record.
“But I think it is good; the competition is good. I thought I was an uncommon governor, but I have come to see an uncommon state.
“We thank you for the support you have given to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we thank you for mobilizing all the governors of Southern Nigeria to line up behind the President.”
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, didn’t mince words either in commending Governor Abiodun for his monumental achievements in the last six years and on the occasion of his 65th birthday.
The octogenarian former president specifically commended the governor for hosting a befitting National Sports Festival, describing it as a huge success.
“To our Governor, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, once again, I offer my deepest personal appreciation. Your leadership commitment and unwavering dedication have delivered not just a festival but also a legacy.
“You have shown the world the strength, capacity, and hospitality of Ogun State. This was a world-class event, and you have raised the standard for all to follow in the future.
“You have not only organized a festival, but you have also provided us with proud and exciting moments in our national life and laid the foundation for the future,” Obasanjo said.
The governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, in his goodwill message, described Abiodun as a leader of immense importance. In a statement signed by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke commended his Ogun State counterpart for his political sagacity in conflict management, thereby entrenching sustainable peace and tranquility in the state, resulting in advancements in critical sectors of the state’s economy.
His words: “In six years as Governor, Dapo Abiodun has restored hope and created a future of possibilities for the people of Ogun State. From wise investments in bolstering the education sector to revamping public infrastructure for increased accessibility, Governor Abiodun has shown his worst critic the power of good governance.
“As he marks a new age, I celebrate him for the visible impacts he has made over the years, and I also honor the creativity he has brought to governance.
The Deputy Governor, Engr. (Mrs.) Noimot Salako-Oyedele, noted that the governor, as a transformational leader, has lifted the state beyond all expectations, as he has consistently delivered on his promises.
She said: “I have been working hand-in-hand with him for the last six years, and I have seen his dedication, his commitment, and his passion-how he puts his body and soul into everything that he does. We thank God that we are seeing good results from the very hard work.
“His Excellency is dedicated, he is committed, he is passionate about anything he does, and if he sets his mind to something, he gives it 100%. I wish His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the Governor of Ogun State, a very happy 65th birthday.”
Also speaking, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, noted that Governor Abiodun, in the last six years, has put in place measures that have led to the economy growing in leaps and bounds, as well as building confidence, which has brought about unity among people of different tribes, classes, and religions.
Prince Abiodun, the SSG observed, has been consistent in his developmental plans, saying that the provision of infrastructure and a conducive business environment has placed the state as a force to be reckoned with in the comity of states in the country.
“Prince Abiodun values lives and people’s progress. The level of acrimony and rancour has gone down during his tenure. Most of the issues we had to deal with when we came in, like people going on strikes and violence all over the place, have gradually normalized, step by step.
“I am proud to say that in Ogun State, there has not been a workers’ strike in the last 18 months. Now, everybody knows that Governor Abiodun does not play games with people’s lives, their earnings, and progress,” he stated.
While wishing the governor a happy 65th birthday, Mr. Talabi pledged his unalloyed loyalty and support to enable him to end his tenure on a sound note.
The State Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, said the past six years have been remarkable with purposeful and visionary leadership dedicated to the overall well-being of the people.
According to the Head of Service, the meticulous planning and sense of dedication as encapsulated in the ISEYA mantra have propelled the state to be the industrial capital of the country, just as the administration has fared well in all sectors of the economy.
He lauded the governor for his worker-friendly posture, saying this has led to increased productivity and more dedication to duties on the part of the workforce. Onasanya noted with delight the efforts of the present administration in rejuvenating the civil service through training programs, prompt payment of salaries and allowances, as well as the release of funds for pensioners’ gratuities.
The Chief of Staff (CoS) to the Governor, Dr. Oluwatoyin Taiwo, on his part, said the governor has been able to reach across the 20 local government areas in terms of road infrastructure, as the roads are either being reconstructed or the old ones rehabilitated.
“In primary healthcare, the state government has been able to rehabilitate close to 177 facilities and is targeting about 236 across the state. In terms of housing, we’ve been able to do close to 4,000, but our target is to reach 10,000. It is also key for me to mention that in terms of infrastructure, the Gateway International Airport is very key; it is an unprecedented and monumental achievement,” he said.
Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hon. Adijat Adeleye-Oladapo, noted that the state has experienced a tremendous positive overhaul in the last six years, emerging as the fastest-growing economy in the country, backed by facts.
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Hon. Olukayode Akinmade, said Ogun has become the most sought-after state in terms of investment, as it has been able to take advantage of its proximity to Lagos State.
“Since Governor Dapo Abiodun came on board, we have not had issues with thuggery or assassination; Ogun State has never had it so good like this. Everywhere is peaceful, and everyone is going about their duties without molestation or harassment, and you can feel peace and freedom in the air,” he said.
Facts don’t lie. Governor Abiodun’s imprints are allover the sectors of the Ogun State economy. Effects of his infrastructure transformation agenda, industrial and investment promotion, healthcare delivery service, accessible education, human capital development, youth and women empowerment, agro -allied processing and value addition are there to see. It is, therefore, not surprising that his birthday anniversary has earned him so much ovation from eminent Nigerians across ethnic, religious and political boundaries. As a bridge builders and a pleasant political figure of no mean guile, he has earned his goodwill through an unblemished track record of service and social interaction. Happy cheers to an amiable Governor at 65. Your selfless service and focused leadership have changed the socioeconomic lives of the people of Ogun State over the period of six years. Your dedication and commitment have not gone unnoticed. Bravo!
•Ogbonnikan writes from Abeokuta, Ogun State capital
All eyes are on Rivers State to see how the warring political camps and their gladiators can facilitate reconciliation leveraging on the six-month emergency rule window. The affected arms of government, the executive led by the suspended Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and the legislature led by the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, are expected to resolve their differences within the period of democratic rule’s abortion.
There is high probability of lifting the emergency rule before the expiration of the six months if the aggrieved parties can resolve their protracted crisis on time. But if they failed to do the needful and allow the crisis to linger beyond the six months, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly may have no option but to extend the emergency rule for another six months.
Therefore, Fubara, who is the worst hit and whose actions according to Supreme Court led to the suspension of democracy in the state must take up the responsibility of midwifing genuine and sincere reconciliation. He must roll his sleeves and be on the move to reach out to the staleholders the Supreme Court said he offended by his actions. Fubbara must be seen to be walking his talks. It is beleived that he holds the knife and the yam.
Indeed, it is believed that only genuine and sincere reconciliation will end the prolonged crisis and stabilise the oil-rich state. Such reconciliation is a precursor to the quick return of seamless democratic governance in the state.
But stakeholders are worried over what seems to be a gradual descent into politicisation of the ongoing reconciliation between Fubara and the suspended lawmakers.
Sakeholders are disappointed at the way events are turning out in recent times between the two camps. After about one month of silence following the declaration of emergency rule, it was revealed that Fubara met with his estranged godfather and benefactor, Chief Nyesom Wike. Many people described the meeting as a step in the right direction.
The meeting, which was reportedly brokered by two governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was believed to be the beginning of the peace process. During one of his media chats, Wike confirmed that he met with Fubara. But he quickly added that the reconciliation would not begin and end with him. He said Fubara must meet with other aggrieved parties in his camp.
Wike is saying that Fubara is expected to hold meetings with Amaewhule, suspended members of the state House of Assembly; the state elders led by Chief Ferdinand Alabraba and former chairmen of local government areas, whose revenue allocations were reportedly seized for three months before the controversial local government elections that sent them out of office.
Following his meeting with Wike, most people assumed that the suspended governor had gone underground to meet with various segments of his detractors to make peace with them.
Shortly after his meeting with Wike, a former President of the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, had appealed to Fubara to sustain the reconciliation tempo.
Eradiri specifically told him to shut his doors against crisis merchants and step up the ongoing reconciliation. He said Fubara must learn to keep enemies of Rivers that once surrounded him in abeyance. He said most of the people, who claimed to love the governor and offered him pieces of advice, were his real enemies because according to him they were profiting from the crisis and would not want it to end.
Advising Fubara, he said: “First, make yourself unreachable to those, who will come and slow this process down and feed you with unsolicited advice to abort this reconciliation”.
Observers are disturbed that the reconciliation may not be progressing as expected. They are also warning the governor to avoid some pitfalls that led to the collapse of all peace process that should have ended the crisis.
People recalled that a chess game was responsible in deepening the crisis that eventually crippled democratic governance in the state. When the Supreme Court delivered the final verdict on the crisis, people had expected Fubara and his camp to act swiftly in the implementation of the judgement of the court especially in the area of re-presenting the state’s budget to the House of Assembly. Both parties resorted to playing politics with the judgement of the court and they suffered dearly for it.
On May 11, most observers concluded that Fubara was engaging his detractors. He cautioned his supporters during the Service of Songs organised for the Chief Edwin Clark in Port Harcourt. On that day, Fubara sounded differently. He roared his instructions and breathed fear into the minds of his supporters.
His outbursts came against the backdrop of series of protests calling for his reinstatement with many of them championed by women groups. Hardly had any day passed by than pro-Fubara groups holding demonstrations in different parts of the state.
Fubara, however, queried some of the actions of his supporters and those calling for his reinstatement. He told them that everything should not be about agitations insisting that he preferred a less confrontational strategy. He lamented that some of the actions taken by some of his supporters, though with good intentions, had only worsened his situation.
Fubara said: “Can’t you see how much better I look? Do you really think I’m interested in going back there? My spirit has already left that place. Not everything is by oshobe. Do you even know if I want to go back there? My spirit has already left there.
“To a lot of you here you don’t know what the situation is. It is not about Oshobe. It gets to a situation where Oshobe doesn’t solve problems. That is the truth. For that reason I am a bit careful on particular events. This event is not something I can avoid because Pa Clark is a special person to every one of us especially to me”.
On that day, he gave an impression that resolution was in progress and he would not like his supporters to derail it. Others interpreted the body language of the suspended governor differently. They suspected that Fubara wanted to quietly exit the scene as a way of giving lasting peace a chance.
Conversely, Fubara changed his tone in his May 29th message to the state. He did not advance discussions on the probability of throwing in the towel. He said had got to a point where difficult decisions must be made in the interest of the people and Rivers. He also created an impression that serious reconciliation was ongoing.
Fubara said: “We are at a crucial point in our journey, where difficult decisions must be made. Be assured that every step we take will be guided by your best interests and the enduring good of Rivers State.
“Your support has emboldened me to press on and not to retreat, but to work harder to foster peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness. These are essential to restoring normalcy and delivering transformational infrastructure, impactful programmes, and life-changing services across the State.
“As we reflect on the lessons of the past two years, I am hopeful for what lies ahead. I look forward to working hand in hand with all of you to build a State we can all be proud of: a Rivers State that stands as a model for the rest of Nigeria.
“To those still carrying the weight of our recent political struggles, I appeal to you, let us turn the page, come together, and focus on our shared goal of progress and unity. The time to rebuild and rise is now.
“As we look ahead, I reaffirm my pledge to consolidate on our gains and remain fully committed to the key priorities of this administration: peace, security, community welfare, and the socio-economic advancement of our State. Though our momentum may have been affected by political circumstances, our focus remains clear, and we are determined to emerge stronger, more united, and more result-oriented.”
On the same day, the suspended governor compelled most people to beleive that he had struck an agreement with his estranged godfather. Addressing an Assembly of the Simplified Movement, Fubara said his return was imminent. Referring to Wike as “my oga”, he said nothing would stop their reconciliation.
Fubara called on his supporters, Rivers people and Nigerians to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his swift intervention through the declaration of emergency rule to salvage the state from looming anarchy
Fubara also said that the peace and reconciliation process required to restore all executive and legislative institutions and offices in the state was already underway.
He said: “I want to assure you that the issues will soon be resolved, and you will come back to your offices; not just at the Executive arm, but also Legislative arm.
“And I also believe that the strong relationships we had before will return, and we will begin to work together again, for the good and progress of the State. What is important is for us to have a forgiving spirit. We are already in the peace process. I want you to thank Mr President for his timely intervention to salvage the situation, and stabilise the polity and the State. If not for Mr President, the story today would have been different.
“I don’t know how he gets his information, but the truth is that he acted with wisdom at the right time. He is the one you should thank. And let me also thank him personally for his intervention, and the personalities across the country, who moved in and appealed to him to intervene.
“We have to come down from our high horses, and subject ourselves to the peace process. And that is what we are doing. What is important is for the State to move forward. It is not about you, the interest of the State is paramount.
“There is no reason why there will not be peace between me and my Oga” in reference to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and his predecessor, Chief Nyesom Wike, adding, “There will be peace. We are meeting. We will reconcile.”
But doubts were cast on the reconciliation following Wike’s insistence in his recent media chat that nothing serious was underway. Wike said Fubara had not started the process to ensure genuine peace. He noted that after Fubara met with him, he told him to reach out to the lawmakers and other stakeholders involved in the crisis. He said since the day Fubara visited him he had not seen him again and that he had yet to begin the process.
Also, an ally of Wike and former Local Government Chairman of Emohua in Rivers State, Dr. Chidi Lloyd said that Fubara was not sincere with the reconciliation process.
Insisting that Fubara was playing the ostritch, Lloyd said: “We know him very well having worked with him for sometimes. He is a man, who says something and does a different thing. He tries to play the Ostritch. That is what he does. But he forgets that it is only the head of the ostrich that is in the sand, the entire body is outside.
“He will tell others that he has settled with his oga, but the oga has not seen him in the past two months. That is not the kind of thing we need now. When a man wants to make peace, it will show. The Bible says pursue peace with all men. It will show”.
Lloyd advised Fubara to go through the process of genuine reconciliation by meeting with members of the House of Assembly and other aggrieved stakeholders including former local government chairmen.
He said: “What kind of peace are you making? You have not met with the state Assembly, the major people that you have the issues with and the disagreement is protracted up to the Supreme Court and the court made a decision.
“I said to those who cared to listen after that judgement that in this scenario, governor Fubara is a prisoner of war and a prisoner of war does not dictate to his captors. It is left for him to stoop to conquer.
“He met the minister and the minister said it was not about him; that it is about the stricture. The minister is an astute politician and he would not want to say because they have come to see him everything is alright.
“The problem was protracted, the assembly; the former council chairman, who he abruptly sacked from office after seizing their allocations for three months and then karma came and suspended him. That is why we must be very careful the things we do. So, he needs to meet with these people.
“The movies that we watch today, there are behind the scenes that you do not see. As a governor, go to these people, call the speaker and tell him, ‘Mr Speaker, I am sorry, let bygones be bygones. You know I have never been a governor before. All of us are learning. It is a learning curve’.
“The Speaker will in turn speak to the other members. These are people whose salaries you seize for two years. Some of them their wives have left them; some couldn’t pay school fees for their children”.
When asked where the suspended governor derived his confidence that the emergency rule would soon be lifted, he said: “It depends on those, who are talking to him. He was the one that told us that he had spent a lot of money on this matter.
“There must be some people telling him that he would come back soon. They gave us 29th May date. It didn’t work; they said now it is June 12th. Let’s listen to June 12. But the Bible book of Amos chapter 3 verse 3 says ‘can two work together except they agree?’
“Let’s even assume though not concede that on June 12 they will bring him back, the problem will still be there and that will bring us to what Ola Rotimi said in his play the Gods Are Not to Blame. He said until the rotten tooth is pulled out, the mouth will continue to chew with caution”.
The suspended governor left many people guessing recently when he paid a visit to President Tinubu in Lagos and had a closed door meeting with the President. His camp exploded with high expectations. It was not the first time that his supporters had expected his reinstatement. They initially expressed high hope that their master would bounce back to office on May 29th. But that hope was dashed.
But with the visit to Tinubu in Lagos, the camp of Fubara was in extactic jubilation. The camp popularly called the Simplified Family expressed confidence that the visit was a signal that the emergency rule was gradually coming to an end.
A supporter of Fubara and immediate past Mayor of Port Harcourt City, Ezebunwo Ichemati popularly called Sugar trended the pictures of the visit.
Ichemati, who was among the council chairmen sacked by the Superme Court judgement told the Simplified Family to get ready saying the outcome would be loud.
The post attracted hundreds of comments from members of the camp, who hailed Tinubu insisting that their victory was in sight. Others also expressed optimism that Fubara would be returned to Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt on June 12, the Democracy Day.
Despite the high hopes, observers say only genuine and sincere reconciliation can end the crisis and reinstate the.execurive and the legislature. Any attempt to lift the emergency rule without first ending the crisis will bring back the same ultra vires that the emergency rule is designed to cure. Such situation will plunge the state back into deeper crisis of monumental proportion. Therefore, Fubara must own the reconciliation process and provide leadership in ensuring a conclusive end to the crisis.
