Politics

Delta Guber: APC Accuses Okowa, PDP Of Arranging Fake Army Officers To Intimidate Voters

Published

3 years ago

March 16, 2023

The Delta State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused Governor Arthur Ifeanyi Okowa and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of perfecting plans to “compromise” the March 18th gubernatorial election in the State through the use of fake Army officers by intimidating and harassing voters who intend to vote for the APC governorship candidate, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Delta State APC Publicity Secretary, Valentine Onojeghuo Esq.

The APC said, “That in furtherance of this perfidious plans, the Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, had directed the requisitioning of all Hilux cars of governmental ministries, agencies and Parastatal are now being branded at an undisclosed location within the State, in the camouflage army colours and be deployed to convey these fake army officers in military fatigues to various polling units across the State, with the sole aim of intimidating voters and truncating the free will of Deltans in exercising their democratic rights.”

“We have every reason to believe that these fake army officers are political thugs and miscreants who have been recruited by the Okowa PDP administration from neighbouring PDP states of Edo and Bayelsa States, whose governors are noted supporters of the State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, with the directive to ensure the suppression of votes in the State, particularly in Delta central senatorial district.

“Recall that before now, the Delta State APC had raised the alarm of plans of the Okowa PDP administration to use all manner of political subterfuge and intimidation to compromise the governorship and house of assembly elections in order to maintain the hegemony of the PDP in Delta State.

“This is more, particularly the fact that the State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, having realized that his cockamamie schemes of inducement of civil servants and other voters in the State with payments of ten thousand naira to individuals accounts and other forms of enticements have dramatically failed to yield the desired results, now opted for a more crude and sinister plan that portends deadly consequences for the security of voters in the State.

“Still suffering from the pains of his woeful and ignoble defeat at the presidential polls that put an end to his ill-fated vice presidential ambition, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has thrown caution to the wind and is fixated on pushing through his more desperate life and death modus operandi approach in order to scare voters away from the electing their preferred candidate in the person of HE Sen Ovie Omo-Agege as the next governor of Delta State and illegally installing his hand-picked successor, Sheriff Oborevwori with the intention of providing a buffer zone to ward off potential investigation and prosecution for his unparalleled acts monumental corruption and embezzlement of Delta State funds running into over 85 billion naira, which has been used to acquired multi-billion naira mansions in the USA, Nigeria and the establishment of a commercial bank in the State.

“These information are to say the least, indeed troubling and poses a clear and present dangers to our cherished democracy and we are left with no other option, then to urge the hierarchy of the Nigeria Army to take every concrete steps not only to ensure the security and safety of voters in the State, but also to conduct a thorough and sweeping investigation of this wicked and evil attempt of the Delta State Governor Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to shamefully compromised the free will of the people of Delta State to voluntarily elect candidates of their choice in the forthcoming governorship elections.”

Politics

N’Assembly committee Approves New State For S’East

Published

2 days ago

October 26, 2025

Editor

The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has approved the creation of an additional state in the South-East geo-political zone.

According to a statement by the media unit of the committee, the resolution was reached on Saturday at a two-day retreat in Lagos, where it reviewed 55 proposals for state creation across the country.

The session, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, and co-chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, resolved that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, the Federal Government should create another state for the region.

Kalu, who joined other lawmakers to champion additional state creation for the region, argued that a new state would give the people a sense of belonging.

When created, the South-East will be at par with the South-South, South-West, North-Central, and North-East zones, each having six states.

The South-East is the only geo-political zone with five states comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

The North-West comprises seven states: Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Jigawa.

According to the statement, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) moved a motion for the creation of the new state, which was seconded by Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun State) at the retreat.

“The motion received the unanimous support of committee members and was adopted,” the statement read in part

Similarly, the committee also established a sub-committee to consider the creation of additional states and local government areas across all six geo-political zones, noting that a total of 278 proposals were submitted for review.

Speaking at the event, Jibrin urged members to rally support among their colleagues at the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to ensure the resolutions sail through during voting.

“We need to strengthen what we have started so that all parts of the country will key into this process.

“By the time we get to the actual voting, we should already have the buy-in of all stakeholders—from both chambers and the state Houses of Assembly,” the Deputy Senate President was quoted as saying.

Politics

PDP Unveils 13-member Screening Panel For National Convention

Published

2 days ago

October 25, 2025

Editor

According to a statement issued on October 25, 2025, by the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) and signed by its Chairman, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, who is also the Governor of Adamawa State, the screening exercise will take place on Tuesday, October 28, 2025.

The committee will be chaired by Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), a former Ondo State governorship candidate and respected legal luminary.

He will be assisted by Hon. Mohammed L.S. Diri (SAN) as Deputy Chairman, while Mr. Asue Ighodalo, Esq., will serve as Secretary. Jacob Otorkpa was named Deputy Secretary.

Other members of the committee include: Emmanuel Enoidem (SAN), Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Chief Mrs. Aduke Maina, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Achike Udenwa, Haj. Maryam Inna Ciroma, HM. Felix Hassan Hyat, HM. Zainab Maina, and Chinedu Nwachukwu, who will also serve as Administrative Secretary.

The statement noted that the selection reflected the PDP’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and internal democracy in the build-up to its national convention.

“The NCOC notes and expects that the exemplary conduct and strict adherence to rules and regulations during this very crucial assignment will justify the confidence reposed by the Party in members of the Committee,” the statement read.

Fintiri assured party members that the screening process will be conducted with the highest standards of fairness and impartiality, underscoring the PDP’s resolve to strengthen its democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“This exercise is crucial in ensuring that only credible, competent, and loyal members emerge to steer the affairs of our great party,” Fintiri stated.

Politics

Why I Refused To Endorse El-Rufai As My Successor — Obasanjo

Published

2 days ago

October 25, 2025

Editor

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he turned down a suggestion to endorse former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, as his successor.

Speaking on Friday in Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the second edition of the annual Ajibosin Platform symposium themed “Importance of Leadership in Governance”, Obasanjo disclosed that former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, had recommended El-Rufai for the presidency, but he rejected the idea.

Chidoka, who delivered the keynote address at the event, had earlier narrated how El-Rufai introduced him to Obasanjo at the age of 34, an encounter that led to his appointment as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

Addressing the audience, Obasanjo took a playful jab at Chidoka for leaving out the El-Rufai story.

“Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that. He was pushing when I was leaving government that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor,” Obasanjo said.

Turning to Chidoka, who was seated among the panelists, he asked, “No be so (Is that not true)?” The former minister nodded in agreement.

Obasanjo explained that he dismissed the suggestion because he believed El-Rufai still needed time to grow politically.

“I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person, why didn’t you agree?’ I said El-Rufai needs to mature. You remember?

“When I left government and, many years later, he saw the performances of El-Rufai, he came back to me and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’”

The former president, however, commended Chidoka, El-Rufai, and other former aides for their “special attributes,” which he said contributed to the success of his administration.

Speaking further on leadership, Obasanjo emphasised character, exposure, experience, and training as essential qualities of effective governance.

Obasanjo said, “It’s only in politics that I found out there is no training for leadership. Even among armed robbers, I was told there is apprenticeship.

“But it’s only in politics that there is no training in leadership. That’s not good enough.”

El-Rufai served under Obasanjo’s administration as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) before becoming the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between 2003 and 2007. When Obasanjo was leaving office in 2007, he instead backed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as his preferred successor.

In his address, Chidoka blamed Nigeria’s development setbacks on excuses and what he described as the politics of alibi.

“Leadership finds its true measure not in speeches or charisma but in the systems it leaves behind.

“Moral conviction must translate into the everyday machinery of governance—rules, routines, and institutions that make competence predictable and corruption difficult.

“Nigeria’s problem has never been a shortage of ideas; it is the absence of systems strong enough to outlive their authors,” he said.

He urged leaders to prioritise accountability and measurable results.

“We must therefore make leadership accountable not to rhetoric but to results: measure by building national dashboards and accountability systems that track every promise, every budget, every outcome. Monitor by strengthening the institutions that evaluate government performance and expose complacency,” he said.