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Political tension resurfaces in Rivers as Wike, Fubara’s allies pick guber forms

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Political tension resurfaces in Rivers as Wike, Fubara’s allies pick guber forms

By Daniel Abia, Port Harcourt

The peace accord reached between the Rivers state governor, Siminalayi Fubara and the minister of the federal capital territory, FCT, Barr Nyesom Wike, may collapse as the 2027 general elections draw close.

Read Also: Delta Central Senatorial Ticket Battle: Heightened tensions as Dafinone, Omo-Agege draw battleline

Both Fubara and Wike seem to have returned to the trenches over who becomes the next governor of the state in line with the content of the peace deal in which President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was a superintendent. One of the major agreements in the deal was that Fubara must not seek re-election in 2027 and that he must join the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Last December, the governor took everybody by surprise when he defected from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and pitched a tent with the APC. The move was the surest way of escaping the incessant impeachment threats against him by the House of Assembly.

But last Tuesday, a group of elders led by Hon Awaji Inombek Abiante, a member of the House of Representatives and an ally of the governor bought the governorship forms for Fubara thereby sparking debate in the state for reneging from the agreement he voluntarily entered into with Wike.

To counter the governor’s swift move, Wike’s allies: Dr Dax George Kelly, a former commissioner for Works and Hon Kingsley Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives also picked forms for the governorship on the platforms of APC and PDP respectively.

This scenario is besides the resolve of Architect Tonye Patrick Cole of the APC, and an ally of the former minister of transportation and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Rt Hon Rotimi Amaechi, to contest the governorship. He had contested on the same platform in 2019 against Wike of PDP and was defeated. He tried again in 2023 against Fubara of then PDP and was equally defeated.

Shortly after buying the form, Cole vowed that he would never step down for anybody in the race. While Tonye Cole may not be a strong contender in the race given his weak political structure in Rivers state, same cannot be said of Kelly and Chinda who rely heavily on the formidable structure of Wike.

Dax is from the same riverine dichotomy with Fubara and may cause an organized confusion in the APC camp to frustrate the governor. In the case of Chinda, he is of the same Ikwerre, the biggest ethnic nationality with Wike. And the fact that Chinda is yet the only PDP aspirant that has indicated interest for the governorship, may be in a better position to rumble the boat for Fubara in 2027.

Fubara set to control the assembly

The governor was alleged to have endorsed the aspirations of 32 aspirants who recently bought forms to contest for the state House of Assembly. The endorsement cut across the entire constituencies and the bulk of them are the governor’s loyalists led by the former speaker, Victor Oko Jumbo.

Interestingly, the former council chairman of Obio/Akpo local government area, Wike’s hometown, Hon Chijioke Ihunwo, Fubara’s strong ally, is set to unseat the current speaker of the House, Rt Hon Martin Amawewhule.

“Fubara bought 32 forms for his foot soldiers to contest all the seats in the Assembly”, one of the governor’s die-hard supporters said.

Renewed impeachment threat?

Sources close to the Assembly hinted that the subtle moves by the governor do not go down well with the political interest of the Minister, hence the need to reopen the impeachment process against him.

According to the sources, the moment the House resumes plenary, the books would be dusted up again and the governor may be made to face another tense moment.

Some of the lawmakers are said to be citing alleged constitutional breaches, including claims relating to budget presentation, expenditure approvals and the composition of the state executive council.

Odds favour Fubara

With the governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma as the chairman of the APC screening committee, political observers in Rivers state are of the opinion that Fubara’s re-election dream would be a smooth sail.

More so, the APC governors’ forum is solidly in support of the governor with some calling on President Tinubu to tame his minister and prevail upon him from further destabilizing APC in Rivers state.

Wike had boasted in January during his tour of the 23 local government areas that he would not repeat the mistake he made in 2023 by endorsing “a disloyal” person to be the governor of the state in 2027. Though he is yet to publicly declare his choice as an aspirant for the job, the minister had said clearly that he would personally choose who becomes the governor of Rivers state in 2027.

The post Political tension resurfaces in Rivers as Wike, Fubara’s allies pick guber forms appeared first on Vanguard News.


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Kano APC denies Kwankwasiyya’s claims of massive defection

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The Kano State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected claims that some of its members in Kumbotso Local Government Area defected to the National Democratic Congress (NDC), insisting that the party remains united in the area.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the APC’s Publicity Secretary, Auwalu Soja, described the reports as false and accused the Kwankwasiyya movement of spreading misinformation to distract from its internal challenges.

According to him, the individuals presented as defectors were not recognised by the party’s leadership in Kumbotso.

Soja said APC members in the local government were satisfied with development projects being carried out by President Bola Tinubu, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline and the Kaduna-Kano-Maradi standard gauge railway, both of which pass through parts of the area.

He also said party members appreciated Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for attracting investments to Kumbotso to boost economic activities and create jobs for young people.

“The party stakeholders and loyalists in Kumbotso are satisfied with the infrastructural projects being executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Soja said.

The APC spokesperson urged the Kwankwasiyya movement to focus on resolving its own internal issues instead of spreading what he described as baseless propaganda.

“The average Kano voter can no longer entrust their future to the political gimmicks and selfish interests of the Kwankwasiyya movement,” he said.

The party also called on residents to ignore social media reports claiming that APC members in Kumbotso had joined the NDC, maintaining that its structure in the area remains intact.

The statement followed reports circulating online that some APC members had dumped the party for the NDC in Kumbotso.

However, the spokesperson for the Kwankwasiyya movement, Dr Habibu Sale Mohammed, disagreed with the APC’s position, insisting that defections from the ruling party to the NDC were continuing across Kano State.

“The defection of APC members to the NDC in the state is a daily phenomenon,” Mohammed said.

He added that photographs of recent political events supported the claims of defections.




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Ogun ADC dismisses report disowning Ogundipe, backing Jimi Lawal

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The Ogun State Chapter of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has dismissed reports claiming that it disowned Biodun Collins Ogundipe as its 2027 governorship candidate and endorsed Jimi Lawal.

The party described the claims as false and misleading.

Acording to the party, the report was a deliberate attempt to distort facts surrounding the conduct of the ADC governorship primary election in the state.

DAILY POST had reported that the Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Adeniyi Adams, declared Ogundipe as the winner of the primary election after he polled the highest number of votes.

According to the official results announced, Biodun Collins Ogundipe polled 9,370 votes, while Jimi Lawal secured 6,812 votes and Marie Odusina, 2,349 votes.

However, on Wednesday, a report was circulated online claiming that the state leadership was unaware of any primary election that produced Ogundipe as the party’s governorship candidate.

It also alleged that Ogundipe was being used by unnamed individuals to disrupt the party and undermine its chances in the 2027 general election.

Reacting, the Ogun ADC State Publicity Secretary, Olumide Onabajo, in a statement on Wednesday, said a re-run was conducted in some areas during collation to ensure fairness and credibility, but that did not amount to a fresh primary.

The statement reads, “There was only one duly conducted governorship primary election of the African Democratic Congress in Ogun State.

“All three aspirants, Biodun Collins Ogundipe, Jimi Lawal, and Marie Odusina participated in that single primary election. There was no separate or parallel primary election.

“During the collation process, issues affecting some areas necessitated a re-run, which was agreed to by the stakeholders as part of completing the same primary election.

“A re-run is not a fresh primary election. It is merely a continuation of the same electoral process to ensure fairness and credibility.

“Unfortunately, before the duly constituted Electoral Committee concluded and formally announced the final outcome, certain individuals who were not members of the Electoral Committee purported to announce Otunba Jimi Lawal as the winner.

“No unauthorized declaration can override the decision of the committee vested with that responsibility.”

The statement further faulted the announcement of Jimi Lawal as winner, noting that those behind the action lacked the authority of the committee legally empowered to declare the result of the primary election.

“That announcement lacked the authority of the committee legally empowered to declare the result of the primary election. The announcement made by persons without authority cannot supersede the declaration of the committee empowered to conduct and announce the results of the primary election.

“If Otunba Jimi Lawal was the undisputed winner of the governorship primary as now claimed by the Soluade group, why has he instituted legal proceedings against the African Democratic Congress, Dr. Biodun Collins Ogundipe, and INEC?” the party asked.

The party urged all parties to allow the court to determine the matter rather than resort to media propaganda.

“Political disagreements should be resolved through lawful and constitutional means, not through media propaganda. The ADC remains committed to internal democracy, due process, and the rule of law.

“We urge party members and the general public to disregard misleading narratives intended to rewrite the facts. The issues in dispute are already before a court of competent jurisdiction, and we have confidence that justice will prevail,” the statement added




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ADC picks Aminu Ringim as Jigawa deputy governorship candidate

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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Jigawa State has named former New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) governorship candidate Malam Aminu Ibrahim Ringim as its deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 general election.

Ringim will serve as the running mate to the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Sabo Mohammed Nakudu.

The announcement was made on Monday in Ringim, the deputy governorship candidate’s hometown, following the approval of the party’s stakeholders.

Speaking after accepting the nomination, Ringim expressed appreciation to the party leadership and stakeholders for finding him worthy of the position.

He pledged to work tirelessly with the governorship candidate to ensure the party’s victory in the 2027 general election.

“I was part of the campaigns and administrations of Ibrahim Saminu Turaki and Sule Lamido. People know the role we played in ensuring their electoral victories and the successes recorded during their administrations,” he said.

Ringim described Senator Nakudu as the right candidate to lead Jigawa State, citing his extensive experience in governance, administration and economic management.

“Our governorship candidate is the right choice for Jigawa State. His wealth of experience will help bring the positive changes the people have been yearning for,” he said.

He added that his role would be to provide sound advice and support to ensure the successful implementation of policies that would benefit the people of the state.

“We will do our best, and by the grace of Allah, we will succeed,” Ringim stated.

He also thanked Senator Nakudu for selecting him as his running mate and promised to justify the confidence reposed in him.

Ringim, a prominent politician, previously contested the governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP). He also served as Chief of Staff during the administrations of Governor Ibrahim Saminu Turaki and Sule Lamido.




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