Politics

Confusion As Newly Elected Benue PDP Officials Arrive At Locked Secretariat

Published

1 year ago

October 4, 2024

The newly elected Benue State Working Committee members of the Peoples Democratic Party were left stranded on Friday when they arrived at the party secretariat along Otukpo Road to assume office, only to find it locked.

Three weeks ago, the immediate past governor of the state, Samuel Ortom, through his media aide, Terver Akase, stated that he had provided one of his buildings located in the High-Level area of Makurdi to the party. This followed claims by the caretaker committee members that they had been forced out of the party secretariat.

The original secretariat was donated to the party by former governor Gabriel Suswam. However, Suswam’s media aide, Mede Bartholomew, dismissed the claim that the caretaker committee had been evicted, saying there was no evidence to suggest such an occurrence.

When the new party leadership arrived at the old secretariat on Friday to receive handover notes from the caretaker committee, they found the premises locked. All efforts by the newly elected PDP Chairman, Ezekiel Adaji, to determine why the secretariat was closed were unsuccessful.

Adaji managed to reach the caretaker committee secretary by phone and was informed that the committee had also just learned that the secretariat was locked.

Speaking to journalists, Adaji said he would consult with relevant stakeholders to determine the next steps.

On Friday, the party held a state congress during which Ezekiel Adaji, a former member of the House of Representatives for the Otukpo/Ohimini federal constituency, along with other state working committee members, was elected.

The chairman of the state congress electoral committee, Alhaji Shaba Ibrahim, announced that Adaji received 2,482 votes and was declared the winner. A total of 2,910 delegates were listed, with 2,900 accredited for the state congress election.

With his victory, Adaji now heads the newly elected 27-member State Executive Committee of the party.

Other officials elected alongside the chairman include State Secretary Comrade Dan Nyikwagh, State Public Secretary Hon Tim Nyor, Youth Leader Ibya Terkimbi, and Women Leader Mrs Alice Albert, among others. They were immediately sworn in by the Caretaker Committee’s legal officer, Barr Friday Ejembi.

In his acceptance speech, Adaji expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support from party members.

“Our state needs leadership, and my executives will not disappoint the party as we work to bring it back to power,” he said.

“We are going to hit the ground running and will reconcile all aggrieved party members by setting up a reconciliation committee immediately,” he added.

Politics

Rivers: Fubara Cancelled 10,000 Jobs I Initiated For Youths – Wike Alleges

Published

5 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State cancelling an employment process undertaken by his (Wike’s) administration which engaged 10,000 youths of the state.

Wike made this allegation on Wednesday at Ahoada main Town, during the ‘Renewed Hope Family thank you visit’ to Ahoada East Local Government Area.

He said his administration had employed 10,000 youths into different sectors of the state’s economy, but regretted that Fubara, his successor, sacked the beneficiaries.

He slammed Fubara for claiming the construction of Ahoada-Omoku and Emohua-Kalabari Road, which he said he had made 70 percent payment before handing over, describing the governor as “a bad child”.

“When I decided to dualise this Ahoada road, people thought it was impossible. But by the grace of God, today, Ahoada East, Ahoada Town, is coming back to be the city it is supposed to be. When I was a narcissist, I finished phase one of this dualisation.

“Then I flagged off phase two, which would end up in Omoku. The job was given the same day as the one of Emohua to the Kalabari area.

“I gave it to Julius Berger and we signed an agreement for Julius Berger to collect N4 billion every month from our IGR. The total amount of that road, and the one from Emohua to the Kalabari area, was about N80 something billion. So I said, if they collect four billion every month, that would give them 48 billion. That in two years time, they would have completed,” Wike said.

Politics

Amaechi: Buhari’s Administration Was Hell For Me – Wike

Published

6 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike has said the administration of late President Mohammadu Buhari was like hell for him.

Wike, who addressed members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ahoada East Local Government Area, LGA of Rivers State on Wednesday, said a minister from the state tried to frustrate his government.

Wike was apparently referring to Rotimi Amaechi, who served as the Minister of Transportation during the immediate past administration.

The FCT minister said despite the moves, his administration remained focused and committed to the people of Rivers State.

He said, “When I was governor, the administration of our late President Mohammadu Buhari was hell for me.

“A minister who is from here, tried to make sure we didn’t move forward but by the grace of God, we were focused and made more impacts.

“Governance is not just about awarding contracts, it is about relating with people. Anybody can award a contract but the capacity for you to settle issues and meander when there is a problem.”

Politics

2027: Watch Out For My Anointed Candidate – Wike Tells Supporters

Published

6 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Editor

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has urged his supporters in Rivers State to watch out for his anointed candidate for the state’s governorship election in 2027.

Wike spoke on Wednesday in Ahoada East Local Government Area, LGA of Rivers State, while addressing supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

He urged the supporters to observe the movement of APC and PDP chairmen, as well as other leaders loyal to him to know his anointed candidate.

The minister appealed to the supporters to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

He said, “The other one as it relates to the State, we will come back. Watch where your council chairman is going.

“Watch where the PDP and APC chairman are going, anywhere you see them, that is where we are”.

Wike had vowed to ensure that his estranged political godson, Siminalayi Fubara, was not re-elected in 2027.