A group, PDP Frontiers for Change and Progress has urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike to woo President Bola Tinubu to join the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, saying it would prove the Minister’s loyalty to the umbrella party.

The group said this in Umuahia on Tuesday while reacting to a statement credited to the FCT Minister where he allegedly faulted the Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Adolphus Wabara for his statements praising Abia State Governor, Alex Otti’s achievements.

The National coordinator of the group, Emeka Ikpegbu, who said that Wabara committed no offense trying to woo Governor Alex Otti to the PDP, challenged the former River State Governor to also convince President Bola Tinubu to join the PDP to cement his loyalty to the PDP beyond every doubt.

“Wike should first bring his principal, President Bola Tinubu, who he praises everyday to the PDP before preaching to us about anti-party.

“Is there any anti-party as bad as a former Governor and a presidential aspirant in PDP serving as a Minister under APC? How many times has Wike publicly praised President Tinubu yet nobody has sanctioned him for anti-party.

“Why will he begin to lecture us now on how to sanction members for anti-party?” He queried.

The group, which told Wike to leave Wabara and PDP governors alone, also commended the governors and the party’s BoT for their uncompromising stance in the Rivers State’s political crisis, as well as for affirming Sunday Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary based on the Enugu Court of Appeal judgment.

The group which predicted brighter future for the PDP in 2027, urged party faithful to resist any attempt to intimidate those striving to rescue and reposition the party.

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has urged former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, to meet with the president to address his issues rather than complaining in the public space.

Bwala said El-Rufai was merely expressing grievances and not opposing Tinubu while still being a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

El-Rufai recently stirred controversy by declaring that he no longer recognizes the APC, citing a lack of internal democracy within the party.

The former governor revealed that all organs of the APC had not convened in the past two years.

On Monday, El-Rufai also accused some staunch supporters of Tinubu of betrayal, alleging that he had stood firm to ensure the APC shifted its presidential ticket to the South.

However, Bwala described El-Rufai as a man of value who should not resort to public grandstanding or align with opposition forces over his grievances.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, Bwala said:

“El-Rufai has said he has not left the party, so since he is in the party, I think he is not playing opposition—he is probably complaining, and the facts are there in the public domain.

“By the way, El-Rufai and I have a good relationship. I remember when I started my Ph.D., I knew he was also pursuing a Ph.D. I asked him if he could join me at my school in the UK, but he declined—we had that good relationship.

“I see him as somebody with value. We all know what may have happened in the past that made him feel displeased, but I believe the best way to handle the situation is not through grandstanding or aligning with the opposition.

“We want a vibrant opposition, but it is not the duty of the governing party to build the opposition—that is the responsibility of the opposition and, probably, the press.

“Most of what El-Rufai has been saying, I do not consider as part of opposition politics because he is not in the opposition. That’s the difference between when I criticized the president and when you are within the party and fighting.

“I do not agree with him because, during his time as governor under Buhari, people raised similar concerns, and he dismissed them. My thinking is that his current stance is part of his story of frustration.

“And because he is a stakeholder and someone I consider very valuable, my suggestion is for him to meet the president, sit down with him, and discuss these issues privately to resolve them.”

President Bola Tinubu, ex-military Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon, and former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, on Thursday, advocated homegrown solutions and strong leadership to address the challenges confronting African countries.

They called on African leaders to abandon reliance on foreign blueprints, stressing that the continent needs leaders who wield policy as a tool for transformation rather than as mere rhetoric.

Speaking at the Dr. Kayode Fayemi commemorative symposium and the launch of the Amandla Institute for Policy and Leadership Advancement in Abuja, Tinubu lamented what he described as “the tragedy of our time,” where African leaders remain dependent on external plans while failing to break free from a client-state mentality.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the event, with the theme: “Renewing the Pan-African Ideal for the Changing Times: The Policy and Leadership Challenges and Opportunities,” Tinubu highlighted the urgent need for Africa to embrace technological advancement and innovation.

“Whatever our differences across the continent, one fact that can’t be eroded by our infighting is that we are in the age of machines, and we can’t fight our development dilemma with spears and arrows while the rest of the world is fighting the same battle with missiles and tanks. The world is not waiting for Africa to catch up,” he said.

Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, shared excerpts of Tinubu’s remarks in a statement titled “President Tinubu: We Need Leaders Who Wield Policy as Blade, Not Slogan.”

Tinubu criticised African leaders for focusing on political rivalries rather than technological advancement, saying, “While we parse political rivalries, others parse datasets. While we litigate history, others engineer futures. The train of progress accelerates, yet too many of our leaders cling to old carriages. These are our client-state mentalities, our dependency on foreign blueprints, and our governance by hashtag activism. This is the tragedy of our time.”

He argued that Africa’s renaissance would not happen as a gift but must be actively built.

He lamented that for too long, African leaders had outsourced their thinking, relying on foreign institutions and ideologies that treat African nations “as consumers, not creators.”

He emphasised that the youth must be empowered to innovate in tech hubs across the continent.

“With the democratisation of knowledge, we must empower our youth to innovate in tech hubs across the continent, from Cairo, down through Nairobi, to Lagos, building unicorns without the permission of any gatekeepers. What they lack is not ideas but ecosystems—systems where policy, funding, and political will converge to scale their genius,” he said.

Tinubu urged African leaders to move beyond being mere custodians of power and instead become architects of platforms that promote innovation.

He called for an Africa where every government ministry integrates AI strategists, where trade policies are shaped by homegrown think tanks like the Amandla Institute rather than foreign consultants, and where “Made in Africa” is associated with technological advancements, green energy, and cultural capital.

He also urged the Amandla Institute to position Africa as a partner in global development rather than as a recipient of patronage.

“The institute must become a command centre for the continent, turning thinkers into doers, policies into progress, and Pan-African ideals into lived realities,” he said.

Addressing African youth, Tinubu encouraged them to take advantage of modern tools to overcome colonial legacies. “For those of us privileged to lead you through this interesting time, we must never forget that our legacy can only be sustained by the systems we institutionalise. Africa seeks collaboration, not patronage. This is the vision I expect Amandla to convey to the world. We are not a testing ground for experiments but equals in co-creating solutions,” he stated.

 Mbeki, in his keynote address, noted that Africa’s development aspirations had largely been unmet due to poor leadership and inadequate resource mobilisation. He urged African leaders to position the continent strategically in a multipolar global order, ensuring it actively participates in shaping the global agenda.

“Our continent must pay particular attention to the development of the right leadership capable of defending and advancing our vast interests within the context of competing global players and in a situation of continuing globalisation and institution of a multipolar order,” Mbeki said.

He expressed optimism that the Amandla Institute would contribute to Africa’s development and enhance its participation in global decision-making.

On his part, Gowon commended Fayemi for the initiative and emphasised that Africa can pave its own way by fostering solutions from within, utilising innovation and indigenous knowledge.

He stated “Africa must prioritise sustainable management of its resources to ensure wealth generated benefits local communities. Pan-Africanism should push for African-led initiatives, such as regional trade networks and shared infrastructure projects, to reduce reliance on external actors.”

Dignitaries at the event included UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, former Nigerian Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Governors Abiodun Oyebanji of Ekiti and Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, and former governors Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Chris Ngige (Anambra), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), and Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa). Also in attendance were former APC National Chairman John Oyegun, the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Emir of Kano Muhammadu Sanusi II, among others.

Experts say no viable product conveyor belts Funding causes setback  |  Rehab to address tanker explosion incidents

 

Key stakeholders in the oil and gas industry have demanded a cautious approach to the planned pipelines and depot rehabilitation exercise by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

NNPCL’s chief corporate communications officer (CCCO), Olufemi Soneye, said the company had commenced the rehabilitation of pipelines and depots to strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure for the long term benefits.

According to Soneye, the company had achieved a cost-effective funding model for the project, but that funding had been a critical setback.

The ongoing rehabilitation project is expected to be completed within two to three years, and is intended to resolve longstanding challenges in petroleum distribution.

Upon completion, Nigeria will achieve a sustainable crude oil supply to refineries, seamless product distribution through pipelines, reduced reliance on trucks, improved energy security and reduced fuel importation, lower transportation costs and reduced road hazards caused by fuel tankers.

However, some security analysts and marketers have expressed doubt about the reliability of the pipelines without adequate deployment of technology to support their safety operations.

Royson Stephen Onyishi, a security consultant, said the government has to put all necessary machinery in place, including the right professionals and technology, as well as engagement with all stakeholders involved in securing the pipelines.

Onyishi said, “An effective monitoring system can also help track the activities of vandals and oil thieves. Most of these measures have been deployed before. They are still experiencing cases of vandals because a stage in monitoring is falling or there is compromise amongst the team, thereby sabotaging the government’s effort.”

The secretary general of the Petroleum Products Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN) Ibrahim Shehu Yahaya, noted that using pipelines for product distribution was a global trend. However, transporting products safely using rail, as was done in the 1970s and the early 1980s, offers no stoppage time and no losses.

Yahaya said there was no indication at the moment suggesting pipeline transportation and distribution of petroleum products across the country, even though pipelines and depots are in place in all regions and most states.

“No one to my knowledge is talking about this prospect because it will go against the interests of the most  powerful unions in the nation, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD). To my knowledge, there are no measures to protect the pipelines.

“The experience of Oando Plc has put to rest that prospect, and there are companies that are willing to partner with Nigeria railway corporation on the freight and haulage of goods and products but have met brick walls despite their persistent efforts.

“Such companies include Safr Terminals Development Company Ltd, which has long been trying without success.

“Others are there because all the jetties and depots in Lagos and Port Harcourt are connected with rail lines,” said Yahaya.

Onyishi, on his part, said, “These pipelines continue to experience incessant vandalism because of the failure of all key stakeholders in the deployment of the right technology, equipment and skills.

“Before now, a monitoring agency within the government was created to oversee the activities of vandals. How well were they able to sustain the fight against vandals? What are their response plans for detecting, delaying, or denying the vandals the opportunity to continue their activities?”

He called for the deployment of the proper monitoring system and technology, which can detect and delay any form of vandalism,  as well as engagement with community heads to create countermeasures in monitoring as they can play a vital role in fighting vandalism.

He further advocated continuous training and retraining of all involved in fighting vandalism, adding that the deployment of modern technology is highly cost-effective as it is a faster measure to curb vandalism effectively.

“Modern technology deployed along the pipelines will give instant notifications on the systems, stating the exact location where the act is being attempted.

“Community engagement cannot be overemphasised as these vandals are mostly within the community or neighbouring community. The engagement will complement them in securing the pipelines as they can serve as spies and physical protection officers. However, a counter community physical deployment can be applied as some communities in the past have promoted vandalism, either directly or indirectly.”

Soneye, however, gave assurance about the financing model of the national oil company’s renovation project,

“We can assure Nigerians that NNPC’s pipeline and the depot rehabilitation project is imbued with a structured financial model, strategic partnerships and committed execution. The initiative is set to resolve longstanding challenges in petroleum supply and strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure for the long term.”

According to him, though there are limited financial resources, which continue to pose a challenge in executing both refinery and pipeline rehabilitation projects simultaneously, “we are exploring creative and innovative approaches to ensure a cost-effective funding model to proceed with the pipeline and depot rehabilitation.”

Soneye acknowledged that the company had already designed a robust rehabilitation plan for the pipelines and depots and would deploy a new financial model—the Finance, Build, Operate, and Transfer (FBOT) approach.

He asserted that the ongoing activities would not be  limited to the construction of new crude oil and product pipelines and the replacement of obsolete ones.

Soneye said advanced technology would be provided to enhance the pipeline security, prevent vandalism, and support the rehabilitation and modernisation of storage terminals.

 

The Nigerian Senate turned into a battleground of political fireworks on Wednesday as lawmakers from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and those of major opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), clashed over the defection of Delta North Senator, Ned Nwoko, from the PDP to the APC.

What was expected to be a routine plenary session quickly descended into heated exchanges as PDP Senators challenged Nwoko’s defection, arguing that the party was not in crisis and, therefore, his move was unconstitutional.

The debate kicked off when Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro raised a constitutional point of order, questioning whether there was a division within the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) to justify Nwoko’s defection.

Moro engaged Deputy Senate President Jibril Barau, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio in a tense exchange over the constitutional basis for switching parties.

But, Barau defended Nwoko’s defection, insisting that the Nigerian Constitution allows lawmakers to decamp if their political party is facing internal division.

“Everybody in the country knows that there is a division. You have the Wike faction and the Bala Mohammed faction,” Barau asserted.

Moro, however, countered Barau’s claim, stating, “I want to say at this point that the PDP is a law-abiding institution. The Court of Appeal has made a pronouncement on the party’s secretaryship, and the PDP is adhering to that ruling until the Supreme Court decides otherwise.”

At that point, Senate President Akpabio interjected, asking, “What does the Supreme Court say?”

Moro continued, emphasising that the PDP recognises Ude-Okoye as its national secretary, in compliance with the Court of Appeal’s ruling.

But, Akpabio cut in again, questioning, “What about your governors? What did your governors say? Minority leader, we are going to set up an ad-hoc committee to look into your party affairs.”

In his final ruling, Akpabio dismissed the PDP’s objections, stating that the Senate could not assume the role of a court in determining party divisions.

He upheld Nwoko’s defection to Aapc and ruled Moro out of order, allowing legislative proceedings to continue.

The exchange highlighted the ongoing battle for political supremacy within the Senate, with party alignments continuing to shift ahead of the 2027 general election.

Earlier in the session, Akpabio had read Nwoko’s defection letter, in which the Delta North Senator urged the Senate to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the crisis within the PDP and recommend a way forward to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy.

With tensions still high, the Senate proceeded to the next item on its agenda, but the political drama of the day left no one in doubt that the struggle for dominance between the APC and PDP in the upper legislative chamber was far from over.

Fish barbecue businesses in Lokoja, Kogi State, are facing tough times due to escalating transportation costs and ongoing economic challenges. These factors have significantly reduced consumer spending, leading to low patronage and a sharp decline in sales for many vendors.IBRAHIM OBANSA writes.

Fish barbecue vendors, popularly known as “Point and Kill,” in Lokoja, Kogi State, are grappling with a sharp decline in their businesses. They attribute the downturn to a combination of soaring transportation costs, economic hardship, and cash flow difficulties.

LEADERSHIP  Weekend checks in the city revealed that the once-thriving trade is now facing its toughest times, as the purchasing power of residents continues to shrink, resulting in low patronage and dwindling sales.

A middle-aged woman, Laruba Esla,  who runs the Esla Point and Kill business at the premisesof the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Lokoja, shared with our correspondent that her once-thriving business has faced setbacks since the increase in fuel pump prices.

She explained that the hike has significantly impacted her customers’ purchasing power. Additionally, with her supplies coming from outside the state, the rising transportation costs have driven up the price of fish, limiting the number of baskets she can purchase.

“The hike in price of fuel has affected our business. Our fish comes from places like Ibadan, Ekiti and Abuja. Cost of the fish has also increased because of the high transport cost. We can no longer buy the number of baskets we use to buy.

Speaking further, she said, “I used to buy between 6 to 8 baskets of fish daily, and would sell them all in one day. But now, I can’t buy more than two baskets, and sometimes, I can’t even sell them all because people just don’t have the money to buy.”

She also highlighted the steep rise in fish prices, saying, “Fish that we used to sell for between N2,000 and N3,000 is now priced between N6,000 and N8,000. How can people afford that? This is seriously affecting our business, and I’m calling on the government to assist us.”

Another vendor, Emma Fish Point, also shared his experience, stating, “I’m no longer selling like I used to. In the past, people would queue up for my fish, but now, my sales have drastically declined.”

In his case, he gets his supply from the river bank, but however said the people have also increased their prices due to the cost of other itens in the market, adding that the cheapest fish on his stand is now between N6,000 to N8,000 thousand Naira as against the N2,500 to N3,00O previously.

Another well-known fish barbecue seller on Lugard Road in Lokoja, Ajomo Blessings Oshiname (also known as Blessing White), also expressed concerns over declining sales, attributing the issue to the high cost of fish.

“I can barely sell one basket these days. The cost of fish has risen sharply due to high transportation expenses. If the government can reduce fuel prices, the cost of fish will drop, and we’ll be able to make it more affordable for the people,” she said.

When asked about her previous sales, she shared, “I used to sell between three to four baskets a day. But now, as you can see, there are no customers. I’m operating at a loss. Sometimes, the fish remains unsold, and due to poor storage facilities and erratic power supply, the fish spoils. I’m calling on the government to help us.”

The situation is similar at other fish points visited across Lokoja metropolis, with all vendors urging both the state and federal governments to come to their aid. They fear that without support, they may be forced out of the market, which would have a devastating impact on their families and livelihoods. The ongoing challenges they face threaten not only their businesses but also their ability to provide for their loved ones, making urgent government intervention crucial to prevent further hardship.