The camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, have responded to criticisms from former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George and former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, over the newly formed coalition ahead of the 2027 election.

Both George and Shekarau faulted the formation of the coalition and the idea of a mega party to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027, saying the move was driven by personal ambition.

They also raised concerns over the emerging alliance of opposition figures aspiring for the positions of President or vice president respectively, rather than a structured political coalition.

The criticism came three days after Atiku, Obi, ex-Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai and others announced the formation of the coalition at a press conference in Abuja.

The official unveiling of the coalition ended weeks of speculations and uncertainty over the existence of such arrangement.

It also came on the heels of El-Rufai’s defection from the APC to the Social Democratic Party on March 10.

Other opposition leaders present at the press conference included a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; Obi’s media aide and Coordinator, Obidient Movement Worldwide, Yunusa Tanko, National Secretary, Coalition of United Political Parties, Peter Ahmeh; and the Convener of the Alternative, Segun Showunmi, among others.

Among those involved in the coalition, but whose apologies for absence were noted, were leaders from the ruling APC, including former governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti); and the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Abdullahi Adamu, among others.

Reacting, Atiku said they were not bothered by the criticisms from Shekarau and George.

The former Vice President, who was represented by his media aide, Paul Ibe, told The TheNigerian in an exclusive interview that the coalition had started making progress and won’t be distracted by criticisms.

“The coalition train has left the station. It’s going to stop at the stopovers and people are going to get on board it. If Bode George and Shekarau want to get on board, they are at liberty to do so. Otherwise, they should just keep quiet.

“People like Bode George don’t know anything about the coalition. He knows nothing about it. So, he cannot speak to what he doesn’t know,” he stated.

Tanko, who spoke on behalf of Obi, stated, “We have coalesced and made our position known. As regards the issue on Rivers State, we have made our pronouncement. We are out for nation-building. If they have their own views and they are supporting what happens, that’s clear to Nigerians. But we are against it and have made our position known.

“Of course, you can see in all of the things that we had discussed when we had that presentation. They are all part of the conversation and you can see we are talking to each other.”

When asked if the talk of a mega party has commenced, the politician said Nigerians would be informed when that was done.

He said, “We should wait till when that particular announcement will be made known to everyone. I have said it before, when it’s time for that particular announcement to be made, it will be made.”

A former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the APC, Mallam Salihu Lukman, said the coalition was necessary to rally the opposition to ensure the country doesn’t fall into a one-party state.

Lukman said with the way many political parties were battling internal wrangling and leadership crisis, the ruling APC may end up being the only party to contest the 2027 election.

He said, “There are two sides to those statements. One, I can appreciate Bode George. George’s comment is coming from his optimism about believing that they can rescue the PDP. While in the case of Mallam Shekarau, on the other hand, it is simply contempt about the people who are part of the coalition.

“For many of us, I think it’s to appeal to everybody to understand that the country is at a critical stage because right now, where we are is that all the parties have been pushed into a state of oblivion, basically, a state of crisis that at the end, we may end up not having parties that will contest the election, except perhaps the APC.

“If it is about parties, the coalition has not yet been formed. What I think has been expressed is a reflection of the commitment of people to form the coalition and settle on a political party platform to contest the 2027 election. That is what is being negotiated now.”

When asked to confirm if there was a progression on the proposed mega party, Lukman replied, “Who is talking about mega party? My understanding of whatever is a mega party is a party that will be able to be attractive to Nigerians, just like the APC was attractive in 2014-2015. So, we are going to get there. We are confident that we will settle all of that and get there.

“What we are going to give Nigerians, I am very confident, will be something that is substantially different that will elicit the confidence of Nigerians that we are doing something new.”

A Hajj reporting and monitoring group, Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has urged state governors across the country, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to renovate and upgrade Hajj transit camps in their domains ahead of the 2025 Hajj exercise.

In a statement issued to journalists on Wednesday in Abuja by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Mohammed, the group emphasised the urgent need for the renovations and upgrade, citing the deteriorating state of some transit camps.

“It is common knowledge that intending pilgrims spend several days at various Hajj camps before their airlift to Saudi Arabia. Information at our disposal indicates that some of these camps need urgent renovation to make them more comfortable,” he stated.

2025 Hajj: NAHCON Reaffirms Commitment To Pilgrims’ Welfare  

The group commended the governors of Bauchi, Adamawa, Kaduna, and Sokoto States, as well as the FCT Minister, for their efforts in modernising and upgrading their Hajj transit facilities.

The group also acknowledged the Osun State government’s promise to build a world-class permanent Hajj transit camp and urged completion before the 2025 Hajj exercise.

“In other Hajj countries, pilgrims’ education and enlightenment sessions are usually held in Hajj camps to help them familiarise themselves with the process and their first point of stay before departure.

“We plead with state executives to renovate and upgrade the facilities in their various Hajj camps before the airlift, scheduled to begin in the last week of April this year,” the statement read.

The group further suggested that the camps could serve additional purposes, such as commercial ventures with hotels and event centres, generating revenue for both the pilgrims’ welfare boards and state governments.

As part of the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to emplace peace and public safety across the country, police operatives attached to the Imo State Police Command have achieved a significant milestone in the ongoing battle against terrorism with the neutralisation of three deadly terrorist kingpins associated with the outlawed Eastern Security Network (ESN).

Operatives from the Command’s Tactical Unit following credible intelligence launched a coordinated operation on Friday aimed at locating and dislodging the terrorist hideouts.

The police operatives located the terrorists’ hideout in a forest within Ihube, Okigwe LGA of the State. Upon approach, the operatives came under heavy fire from suspected IPOB/ESN terrorists but demonstrated exceptional courage and engaged the attackers in a fierce gun battle.

The operation resulted in the neutralisation of six members of the terrorist group, with three being ESN kingpins identified as Ifeanyi Anayo a.k.a. Zuma De Rock (28), Chukwuemeka Odionyenfe a.k.a. Nmimi (22), and Kingsley Sunday (21)—all natives of Ogube, Ihube in Okigwe local government area of the State, and the recovery of five AK-47 rifles, 552 rounds of live ammunition, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), several communication equipment, along with eight operational motorcycles used by the group.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, which announced the feat on Saturday, said prior investigations had revealed the involvement of the group in several high-profile crimes, including the attack on the Owerri Correctional Center on April 5, 2021, the killing of five policemen in Umunna, Okigwe, on December 12, 2022, and the burning of Arondizuogu Police Station on February 8, 2022.

The group was also involved in multiple kidnappings, including those of WAEC staff on June 5, 2023, four reverend sisters on August 21, 2022, and four Chinese nationals on December 6, 2023.

“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has commended the gallant operatives for their exceptional display of bravery and coordination. The IGP charges police operatives across commands and formations to sustain the tempo and implement the Force’s action plan aimed at reducing crimes drastically in the first quarter of the year 2025.

“The Nigeria Police Force remains unyielding in its goal towards ensuring national security and public safety. Members of the public are hereby urged to remain vigilant and work collaboratively with the Nigeria Police Force to promote peace and ensure a safer environment for all citizens,” the Police spokesman added.

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The political camps of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and his predecessor, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, will on February 10 lock horns in five separate cases instituted against each other at the Supreme Court.

The two camps on Monday shifted their legal battles over irreconcilable differences concerning Rivers State matters to the apex court, where five different cases were found to have been filed against each other and subsequently fixed for February 10 for determination.

A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Uwani Musa Aba-Aji, ordered an adjournment in the cases to enable the parties to file and serve the necessary court documents in the separate appeals.

For ease of determination, however, the court ordered the consolidation of four of the appeals, following a request to that effect by the appellants’ counsel Joseph Daudu, SAN, who represented the Wike camp.

The four appeals the court consolidated for ease of hearing are: SC/CV/1174/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against the Rivers State Government and nine others; SC/CV/1175/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against the Rivers State Governor and nine others; SC/CV/1176/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, and nine others; and SC/CV/1177/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against the Accountant General of Rivers State and nine others.

Earlier, following a request for the withdrawal of a cross-appeal filed on November 18, 2024, in SC/CV/1071A/2024, between Rivers State House of Assembly and others against the National Assembly and 16 others, Justice Aba-Aji announced that hearing has been fixed for February 10, 2025.

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja had in a judgment delivered on January 22, 2024, faulted the presentation of the 2024 budget to four members of the State House of Assembly loyal to the governor.

Omotosho had then ordered the governor to re-present the budget to the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Flowing from the judgment of Justice Omotosho, a sister court, also in the Abuja division, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, had ordered the stoppage of the release of allocations from the federal government to Rivers State until the governor presented the budget before the Amaewhule-led assembly.

However, while the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed the judgment of Justice Omotosho, it upturned that of Justice Abdulmalik on the grounds of grave injustice in the findings and decisions.

Similarly, the Court of Appeal, in another judgment, upturned the judgment of Justice Peter Lifu, also of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had ruled against the conduct of the October 5, 2024, local government council election on the grounds that due process of Rivers State law on local government elections had not been followed.

At today’s proceedings, about 50 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, represented the two camps, along with a retinue of other junior lawyers.

The camp of Governor Fubara was led by Chris Uche while that of Wike was anchored by Joseph Bodunde Daudu.

The crisis rocking the Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party took a new twist on Thursday when the police took over the party’s secretariat on Aba Road in Port Harcourt.

The police action followed alleged moves by both the Aaron Chukwuemeka-led executive loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Robinson Ewor-led executive loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara to resume at the party secretariat.

On Monday, January 13, 2024, the state High Court presided over by Justice Stephen Jumbo, in a ruling on interlocutory injunction sought by Edwin Woko and three others, restrained Chukwuemeka and others from parading themselves as executive members of the PDP in the state.

Woko and three others, all PDP members, challenged the congresses that produced Chukwuemeka’s executive committee, arguing that the congresses conducted between July and August 2024 violated an existing court order, rendering it illegal.

A state High Court presided over by Justice Charles Wali, on July 20, 2024, stopped the PDP from going ahead with the congresses, but in defiance, the Wike-led faction of the party held the congresses on July 27, August 10, and August 31, without Fubara’s faction participation.

There have been crises in the state since October 2023 after a move by the lawmakers loyal to Wike to impeach Fubara failed.

Following the court ruling, the Ewor-led caretaker executive committee loyal to Fubara was announced and was set to assume office on Thursday.

Our correspondent who visited the party secretariat reported that while a team of heavily armed anti-riot police stationed at the PDP office with several police vans, Chukwuemeka managed to enter the secretariat, claiming he remained the party’s authentic chairman in the state.

The security operatives blocked both ends of the road leading to the secretariat, leading to a temporary traffic snarl when the correspondent visited.

Briefing newsmen, Ewor, who announced his faction would take over the party secretariat on Thursday, said he would not force himself into the party secretariat, adding that he was interested in a peaceful atmosphere in the state.

He said the security agencies advised the party to shelve its plans to take over the secretariat, as they were already on the ground to prevent any potential violence.

He called on the national leadership to recognise Fubara as the party’s leader in the state and to work with the new leadership at the state, local government, and ward levels.

He, however, vowed to suspend members found wanting for anti-party activities during the 2023 elections.

Ewor was making a veiled reference to Wike, who supported President Bola Tinubu, then-presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, against his party’s presidential standard-bearer and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

He appealed to party supporters and faithful to remain calm, assuring them that the party was taking necessary steps to take possession of the secretariat.

“We shall, also in the next few days, set up a disciplinary committee to deal with issues of anti-party activities, especially during the 2023 general election and beyond and every other activity by party members which are capable of bringing the party to disrepute.

“Those who are found wanting shall be disciplined appropriately, including but not limited to suspension, sacking and other sanctions known to the party constitution.

“The party is supreme. We shall uphold the supremacy of the party. We shall implement the manifestoes of the party and constitution,” he said.

In a separate news briefing at the party secretariat, Chukwuemeka insisted that his executive was duly elected.

“This morning, I deemed it fit that we will address a press conference so that everyone will be aware of what we are doing in PDP Rivers State.

“I want to say that here we are today is the state secretariat of the PDP in Rivers, ably led by myself, Chukwuemeka Aaron, as the state chairman of this party.

“I was duly elected, all the excos that were elected with me are here seated. We started as a caretaker committee of our party and we were saddled with the responsibility of conducting a fresh election to usher in a duly elected state, local government and ward executives.”

Chukwuemeka debunked claims that he defected to the APC, saying he remained a member of the PDP.

He added, “I have worked for this party since 1999, and I have served in various capacities, including local government party secretary, LG party chairman, deputy state chairman, and now state chairman.

“I have never defected from the PDP, and I remain committed to the party’s ideals and values.”

On the recent court ruling that nullified his emergence as state chairman, he described the judgment as “not executory,” saying he would appeal it.

Chukwuemeka called on the governor to allow peace to reign in the state.

“This is my office, we have taken possession and we cannot leave here.

“Whatever court judgment they have gotten, we are going to appeal it. We will follow due processes and ensure that there is peace and order in the state.

“We need peace in Rivers State and we cannot continue to file one litigation after another. We are peace-loving and law-abiding citizens, and we will not be intimidated by those who seek to undermine our party,” he said.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was in a meeting and promised to revert.

She had, however, yet to do so at the time of filing this report.