Politics

Ministerial Appointment: Disquiet In APC Over Wike, Tinubu Romance

Published

3 years ago

May 11, 2023

There is disquiet in the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, over the somewhat strange romance between the Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike and the party’s hierarchy, especially the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.

The development is causing upset among the APC members ahead of the inauguration of Tinubu as President and his formation of cabinet within six months.

Against his own political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Governor is believed to have worked for the national ruling party during the 2023 presidential election.

And this has intensified the rumours that it is just a matter of time before the governor joins the ruling party.

Wike was once the most loyal and influential leader in the PDP prior to the May 2022 presidential primary election of the party.

Nigerians will not forget in a haste how the Governor had during voting at the convention held at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja, vowed to commit to the party.

He said then: “I vow today that anybody who emerges here, I will support the person to the fullest because I am a committed party person. Since 1998, I have been at this party and I am not going anywhere.”

However, the Governor entered into a long battle with the national body of the PDP and the elected presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar immediately after the primary, dragging four other governors along with him to form what was later known as the G5.

He has taken it further after the polls, with his recent invitation of Tinubu to commission projects in the oil-rich State.

However, a former governor of the State, Chibuike Amaechi, who came second during the party’s presidential election in June 2022, has been conspicuously absent in as many occasions that Tinubu has visited Rivers State, either as a presidential candidate or as the President-elect.

Wike was one of the politicians who wondered what good works President Buhari had done that presidential aspirants such as Bola Tinubu would base their campaigns on.

Wike had said that Nigerians were under the yoke of APC maladministration with an intractable insecurity situation that has crippled the economy and increased hunger.

He said then: “It is most unfortunate when I hear people declaring [intention to be president] under APC and saying they want to continue the good job of Mr President – the good job of people dying every day, the good job of naira falling every day.

“I feel so ashamed that we have got to the level of sycophancy where people will come and say I want to continue the good job of Buhari. What is the good job of Buhari – hunger, poverty, insecurity, economy falling?

“I can’t believe that somebody will come out in today’s Nigeria and say I want to continue where Mr. Buhari has stopped. May God never allow that evil to continue.”

But all that posture changed during the presidential election.

Apart from being accused of rigging the presidential election in favour of the APC candidate, Wike has in words and actions shown that he was solidly behind Tinubu, before, during and after the elections.

Members of the APC in the State see Wike’s actions as a scheme to be appointed minister upon the end of his tenure on May 29.

Tinubu, during his recent visit to Rivers State, hailed the governor for working for his emergence, especially by weakening the PDP.

Prior to the PDP’s primary election, the governor, who claimed to be working for Southern presidency blocked the PDP from zoning the presidency because he realised that the South East would get the cut if the ticket was micro-zoned.

Speaking to DAILY POST on these developments, a former Spokesman for the defunct new Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and chieftain of the APC in the South South, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze said, “Gov. Wike though a friend is a very confused and drowning fellow looking for whatever he can hold to survive but the future will surely determine his fate.

“Anybody worrying himself or herself about Wike and his type of politics probably has no serious task to do, so I wouldn’t like to waste my precious time to talk about a drowning man.

“Nigerians and the entire world are fully aware of the stand of Wike about both Buhari, Tinubu and APC, so if they feel after all that Amaechi sacrificed to build APC that Wike is their new Saviour, I wish them the best of luck. God will surely judge all our actions no matter the odds.”

On the fate of Amaechi if Wike decides to decamp to APC, Eze said, “Both I and Amaechi and other members of his political family have passed the level of attaching our fate to that of any human being. It will be an insult to us and our God for Wike and his drowning collaborators to determine our political fate. They don’t have such powers.

“For your information, Wike at the moment is not a member of any political party. They are aware that they are politically orphans though he is shameless and if he feels like joining APC, I wish him the best of luck.

“I must confess that I am enjoying the trends of events as it is helping us to know how characterless some of our so-called leaders are but let us not despair as God is working out something great for this country.”

Speaking on Wike’s denial of working for Tinubu and insisting all he wanted was Southern presidency, the party chieftain added, “You are forcing me to give Wike the attention that he doesn’t deserve.

“Wike is the most selfish Nigerian politician you can think of in this dispensation. He has not the interest of anybody or region at heart.

“Everything is all about himself. He frustrated Obi out of PDP with hope of becoming the landlord of PDP but Atiku proved him wrong and reduced him to the wailing fellow he has become.

“Tinubu knew that Wike never worked for him; he will be highly disappointed as Tinubu and his camp are already plotting on how to do away with his nuisance scheme.”

On the question on why Amaechi has been silent in the face of what many people would see as being sidelined by his political party, Eze said, “What exactly do you want Amaechi to say about what is happening with Tinubu, APC and Wike?

“I have advised myself to keep quiet and watch this romance all aimed at undermining Amaechi. At the appropriate time, I will expose to Nigerians when this evil plot was hatched and how it will be concluded.

“From the little I know about Amaechi and his type of politics, he has never had any plan of his own. God is the one that plans for him, so when God wants him to act, he will act accordingly and Nigeria and Nigerians will know that you can’t, no matter the odds, undermine God’s anointed one. In vain they gather as their gathering can never be sanctioned by God.

“I appeal to us all to exercise patience as we will soon address some of the issues agitating the minds of Nigerians and the future of Amaechi and his political family.”

Politics

2027: NDC Unveils Electoral Committee Members For Primaries

Published

5 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has released list of Electoral Committee Members to Conduct primary election.

The exercise is for State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship and Presidential Primaries across all States in Nigeria and the FCT.

This was contained in a statement posted on its verified X handle on Thursday.

The party had provided updates concerning its upcoming Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship, and State Assembly primaries.

According to the party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas,
and Barr. Ikenna Alex-Morgan Enekweizu, National Secretary, the primaries are confirmed to take place across the nation on May 29, 2026, adhering to the previously established timetable of May 28 and 29.

Politics

APC: Fubara Has Been Treated Badly, It’s Dangerous For Tinubu – Otubanjo

Published

5 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The director of research at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, Femi Otubanjo, has said the treatment of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, in the just concluded All Progressives Congress’, APC, primary poses political danger to President Bola Tinubu.

Otubanjo stated this on Thursday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he also criticised the role being played by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in the political affairs of Rivers State and the All Progressives Congress.

According to him, the handling of Fubara’s political crisis remains one of the most surprising developments in Nigeria’s political landscape.

Otubanjo further argued that Wike, who is not a member of the APC, appears to be dictating political activities within the ruling party in Rivers State.The research director warned that the current political arrangement in Rivers State could negatively affect Tinubu politically, insisting that Wike was pursuing his personal agenda rather than that of the president.

He said: “The treatment of Fubara must be one of the American wonders of Nigerian politics. Fubara has been badly treated. We have a situation in which Nyesom Wike who is not even in the APC is taking the primary decision in the APC. I hope the tactical team of President Bola Tinubu is not sleeping.

“The reality is that what they have done is very dangerous for Tinubu. What has emerged in Rivers today is that Wike is pursuing his own agenda, not Tinubu’s agenda inspite of PBAT and all of that combination.”

“If Wike really wants to pursue Tinubu’s agenda, he must retain Fubara.”

Politics

In Defence Of Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe: The Generational Shift Reshaping Edo Politics

Published

1 day ago

May 27, 2026

Editor

By DAN Osa-Ogbegie

For decades, Edo politics remained trapped within a narrow and predictable cycle of political recycling. The same ageing actors moved endlessly from one office to another, from one administration to the next, and from one political alignment to another, as though leadership in Edo State had become the exclusive inheritance of a permanent political aristocracy.

Meanwhile, thousands of intelligent, energetic, and capable young Edo people watched helplessly from the margins while opportunities for leadership, governance, party administration, and public service remained tightly controlled by individuals whose political relevance dated back several decades.

That unhealthy political culture is now gradually changing.

Today, one of the most important political transformations taking place within the All Progressives Congress in Edo State is the deliberate transition from recycled political gerontocracy to a younger generation of political actors. That transition is unfolding under the leadership of Senator Monday Okpebholo, Governor of Edo State and Leader of the APC in Edo State, together with the State Chairman of the party, Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe.

Predictably, such a shift has unsettled entrenched interests.

Those who became accustomed to monopolising political relevance naturally feel threatened by the emergence of a younger generation that is increasingly assertive, visible, influential, and institutionally empowered. Yet, history teaches a simple lesson: no political structure survives indefinitely without renewal.

No serious political party can continue recycling the same exhausted political machinery forever while expecting innovation, grassroots energy, modern governance ideas, and long-term political sustainability.

That reality appears to be clearly understood by Governor Monday Okpebholo and Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe.

Much of the criticism unfairly directed at Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe in recent times stems from the fact that he has become one of the visible faces of this generational transition within Edo APC. Beneath the noise, propaganda, and political bitterness lies an undeniable truth: the party is consciously opening spaces for younger people in ways not seen for many years.

From the youthful Deputy Chairman of APC in Edo State, Sylvester Aigboboh, to several younger commissioners, Special Advisers, members of the State Executive Council, board chairmen, local government administrators, and strategic appointees across government, the evidence of deliberate political renewal is becoming increasingly impossible to ignore.

In Uhunmwode Local Government Area, Hon. Austin Imafidon has emerged as one of the young faces of focused governance and grassroots administration. Beyond politics, he has already established himself successfully in business, bringing into governance the mindset of productivity, enterprise, and modern administrative engagement.

In Etsako, Hon. Sunny Ekpeson has continued to attract national attention as the youngest ALGON Chairman in Nigeria, representing a clear departure from the era where local government leadership was treated as the permanent preserve of ageing political operators disconnected from younger demographics.

In Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area, Hon. Eric Osawaru represents another example of the younger political generation now entrusted with leadership responsibilities, while in Oredo Local Government Area, Engr. Gabriel Iduseri equally reflects the growing confidence being reposed in younger administrators within the APC structure.

In Owan, Hon. Aitalegbe Ernest, popularly known as “China Boy,” has also emerged as one of the prominent young political figures gaining traction as the incoming Chairman of the local government, further reinforcing the expanding generational transition currently taking shape across Edo State.

The same pattern is visible across government institutions and strategic agencies.

Pastor Stanley Dave Ighodaro, a successful entrepreneur with thriving business interests in Europe, now heads the Edo State Parks and Gardens Agency. His emergence reflects an increasingly important shift towards bringing professionally exposed and globally minded younger individuals into governance and public administration.

Similarly, Kassim Otono, who serves as Special Adviser on Oil and Gas to the Executive Governor of Edo State, represents another example of younger technocratic involvement within the present administration. His inclusion within such a strategic sector underscores the growing confidence being placed in younger professionals and politically aware technocrats within government.

This is how enduring institutions are built.

A political party that refuses to regenerate itself eventually becomes intellectually stagnant, structurally weak, and electorally disconnected from evolving social realities.

Governor Monday Okpebholo deserves commendation for recognising that governance in a rapidly changing society cannot remain permanently tied to political methods and leadership assumptions developed several decades ago. Contemporary governance demands adaptability, technological awareness, stronger grassroots engagement, administrative energy, and a deeper connection with younger populations.

Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe equally deserves credit for helping stabilise the party while managing this difficult but necessary transition process. Generational shifts are never easy within political systems historically dominated by established interests. Resistance is inevitable. Political resentment is expected. Internal anxieties naturally emerge whenever old monopolies begin to weaken.

Leadership, however, requires courage.

The recently concluded primaries further revealed this evolving direction within the APC. The emergence of candidates such as Rt. Hon. Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Osazee Igbinovia, Dr. Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, Omosede Igbinedion, Sir Lucky Eseigbe, and Odianosen Okojie reflects a growing political philosophy that increasingly values capacity, grassroots relevance, contemporary appeal, and generational continuity.

Equally symbolic is the emergence of several young Acting Local Government Council Chairmen who are now candidates of the party in the forthcoming local government elections. That development sends a powerful message across Edo State that political participation is gradually becoming more accessible to younger people with competence, commitment, and organisational value.

For too long, many young people in Edo politics were reduced to political spectators, social media defenders, praise singers, or election-day foot soldiers while actual power remained tightly guarded elsewhere. Such a model was never sustainable.

A society that continuously sidelines its younger generation ultimately weakens its own political future.

The ongoing transition within Edo APC does not amount to hostility towards elders or experienced political actors. Experience remains valuable. Elder statesmen still possess institutional memory and political wisdom that younger actors can benefit from immensely. Mentorship, however, must never become political suffocation. Guidance must never evolve into permanent political domination.

Every generation deserves the opportunity to participate meaningfully in shaping the future it will eventually inherit.

That is precisely why the current direction of the APC leadership in Edo State deserves objective acknowledgement rather than emotional hostility.

Many of those attacking Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe today are not truly angry about party administration. Their deeper discomfort arises from the reality that political influence is gradually shifting away from old centres of control towards a newer generation of actors who may no longer depend entirely on traditional political gatekeepers for relevance or survival.

Societies evolve.

Political cultures evolve.

Leadership itself evolves.

No generation owns political power forever.

Ultimately, the future of Edo State cannot be built exclusively around recycled political veterans whose greatest political moments belong largely to the past. A forward-looking society must continuously create room for younger leadership, newer ideas, fresh administrative energy, and modern political thinking.

That future is already unfolding within the APC in Edo State.

History may eventually remember Khalifa Jarrett Tenebe and Governor Monday Okpebholo as central figures in the difficult but necessary political transition that began moving Edo away from recycled political dominance towards a broader and younger leadership culture capable of preparing the state for a different era.

Daniel Aroren Noah Osa-Ogbegie is a Benin based legal practitioner and public intellectual from Uhunmwode Local Government Area.