Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has said his recent meeting with President Bola Tinubu was focused strictly on governance and national interest, stressing that the president serves all Nigerians, not just members of any political party.

Speaking with journalists at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after the meeting, Makinde said the discussions centred on critical governance challenges facing the country.

“The President is the President of Nigeria, not the President of the APC, and we are talking about governance,” he said. “So I came to discuss with the President on some governance issues, basically.”

Addressing speculation that the visit signaled a new political alignment or improved relations between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Makinde dismissed such claims. He noted that cross-party cooperation has always existed on matters of national importance.

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“There’s nothing I have said in the past that suggests we are not enjoying a harmonious relationship,” he said. “Politics is politics. We belong to different political parties, but Nigeria is a project that all Nigerians must be concerned about.”

Makinde emphasised that issues such as insecurity, poverty alleviation, and citizen welfare transcend partisan politics and require collaboration among leaders at all levels of government.

“These are governance issues that have no party coloration,” Makinde said. “As leaders, whether President or governor, we must work together, consult one another, and ensure that we can make life better for our people.”

On speculation that he might consider defecting to the APC, following the recent movement of some PDP members to the ruling party, Makinde firmly ruled out such a move.

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“No,” he said. “I am comfortable in the PDP.”

He acknowledged that Nigeria may at times require a bipartisan approach to solving national challenges but stressed that such cooperation should not be mistaken for partisan realignment.

“There are situations where it cannot be APC alone or PDP alone,” he explained. “When you get to that junction, you need everybody on board to determine the best way forward in the interest of our nation.”

Makinde restated his commitment to constructive engagement with the Federal Government where necessary while remaining firmly rooted in his party and focused on delivering good governance to the people of Oyo State.

The factional National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has rejected the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognise the Nenadi Usman-led caretaker committee aligned with Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.

This was disclosed in a statement released on Wednesday by the factional National Publicity Secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh.

In the statement, Abure vowed to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal, insisting that the judgment contradicted the April 2025 verdict of the Supreme Court on the party’s leadership tussle.

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The Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had held that Abure’s tenure as national chairman had elapsed and consequently ordered INEC to recognise the caretaker committee headed by Senator Nenadi Usman, pending the conduct of the party’s national convention.

Reacting to the court ruling, the Abure-led National Working Committee said it would immediately appeal the decision, describing it as a misinterpretation of the Supreme Court’s judgment and an intrusion into the internal affairs of the party.

“Although we are yet to see the Certified True Copy of the judgment to fully make a comment about it, our position will become stronger when we see the CTC of the judgment.

“But generally, from the brief we have gotten so far, it is clear that the party will appeal the judgment,” Abure said.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rivers State Chapter, has expressed strong discontent with the escalating political instability in the state, calling it a setback to development and progress.

Addressing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the chapter’s Chairman, Reverend Minaibi Dagogo-Jack, condemned the ongoing power plays and urged key actors to prioritise peace and stability.

He specifically cautioned politicians boasting of controlling the state’s votes, noting that their influence in the last election was minimal relative to the total voter base.

“It is important that we come to condemn this; enough is enough. Let’s stop this noise in Rivers State,” Reverend Dagogo-Jack said emphatically.

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He highlighted the disparity in voter turnout, noting that those claiming dominance delivered only slightly more than 200,000 votes to a presidential candidate, while the state boasts over 3.5 million registered voters.

“If you had two hundred and something thousand votes you gave to a President and we have three point five million registered voters—not population—and you are making noise, have you asked yourself where the other ninety per cent of the voters are?” he queried.

He said the PFN will mobilise its members as it did during the 2023 elections and those who are hoping to rig elections will be resisted.

Addressing the impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his Deputy, Professor Ngozi Odu, the Rivers State PFN leader called for restraint among the parties involved.

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He questioned the validity of the grounds for impeachment, suggesting hidden motives.

“What has Professor Odu done in this case? As an individual, I feel there is something more than they are telling us. If what we are hearing is true, then I think that is not strong enough for an impeachment,” he remarked.

Reverend Dagogo-Jack emphasised that while Governor Fubara is not above the law, the reasons cited for his removal appear insufficient.

“I’m not saying that Governor Siminalayi Fubara is above the law, and I’m also not saying that the state Assembly people should be intimidated by Governor Siminalayi Fubara, but the reasons which we are hearing are not content enough to impeach the Governor,” he added.

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The cleric affirmed that the PFN in Rivers State is gearing up to rally its members ahead of the next election cycle, aiming to prevent a recurrence of the current crisis.

He stressed the need for all stakeholders to foster an environment of tranquillity to allow governance to thrive.

The Rivers State PFN Chairman added that a three-pronged approach, which includes mass voter Mobilization, checks on intending leaders, amongst others, will be employed to ensure that the mistakes which brought about the current political uncertainties are not repeated in 2027.