Politics
Why I Was Absent At Tinubu’s Commissioning Of Rivers Projects – Tonye Cole

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Rivers state, Tonye Cole, has justified why he was absent durig the visit of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to commission projects in the state.
Cole said Governor Wike should have informed the APC in Rivers state that he was inviting Tinubu and would want the party to be part of the programme.
He stated this while speaking in an interview on Arise Television on Thursday.
Cole claimed he was absent during Tinubu’s visit because he was not invited.
READ ALSO: [JUST IN] Project Refund: I Owe You Nothing, Tinubu Tells Wike
He said, ”I will describe the visit from two sides. First side of it is the President-elect. As a President-elect of Nigeria, he has the right to go anywhere. And the Rivers State Government invited him, and he has come, honoured that invitation, and has come to Rivers State as a President-elect; with that, we have no problem at all.
”Where the issue is is that the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, ought also to be the governor of all Rivers people. And one of the things that he should have done if he is inviting the President-elect, who is the President-elect of all Nigerians, would have been to call us as APC in Rivers State to inform us that he is inviting the President-elect and would want us to be part of that programme.
”We never got any invitation, I was never invited personally, I was not invited in my private capacity as a candidate of the party, neither was our party, APC, in the State invited to any of those things;
“…and I believe that is where the difference between the President-elect acting in his capacity as President-elect for all Nigerians and Governor Wike acting in his capacity as a governor of just a particular Rivers people. That is where our disagreement stands.”
Recall that Tinubu, on Wednesday visited Rivers State at the invitation of Wike.
READ ALSO: Protester’s Death: Rivers APC Kicks As Police Invite Gov Candidate, Tonye Cole
While in Port Harcourt, Tinubu commissioned the Rumuokwuta/Rumuola flyover in Port Harcourt, where he described Wike as a man of integrity who abandoned his interest for the nation’s interest.
Wike had declared a public holiday for people to celebrate Tinubu over a two-day visit to the state.
But the APC in Rivers dissociated itself from the visit of Tinubu to the state.
The APC Publicity Secretary in the State, Darlington Nwauju, said the party has nothing to do with Tinubu’s visit.
Nwauju had told Wike “to play less divisive politics and exercise restraint in planting seeds of discord amongst opposition political parties.”
VANGUARD
Politics
Fubara Sacks Commissioners, Others
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has sacked all commissioners and other public office holders serving in his administration.
The decision, according to a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Wednesday evening by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, takes immediate effect and followed the recent Supreme Court judgment.
The governor, during a valedictory session with his cabinet to mark Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary at Government House, Port Harcourt, thanked the outgoing officials for their services and contributions to the state’s development over the past two years.
The statement read in part, “Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has thanked members of his cabinet for their services and contributions to the development of the state in the last two years.
READ ALSO:BREAKING: Gov Fubara Dissolves Rivers Pension Board
“The governor highlighted the significance of Nigeria’s Independence, and called on all Nigerians to work together with Mr President to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous country and a brighter future for all.
“Furthermore, the Governor has relieved all Commissioners and other public officers affected by the recent Supreme Court judgment of their appointments with immediate effect.”
Fubara also reiterated his commitment to serve the state “with renewed vigour,” while expressing gratitude to Rivers people for their support and wishing Nigerians a happy Independence anniversary.
READ ALSO:Why I Refused To Challenge Emergency Rule – Fubara
Recall that the immediate past administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), upon assumption of office during the emergency rule imposed by President Bola Tinubu, suspended all commissioners, special advisers, and assistants appointed by Fubara. Ibas also dissolved boards and suspended heads of parastatals he met in office.
Since Ibas exited the state on September 18, the fate of Fubara’s appointees had remained uncertain. The Rivers State House of Assembly, at its first sitting after the lifting of the emergency rule, had called on the governor to submit a fresh list of commissioner-nominees for screening, alongside the 2025 budget for passage.
Politics
2027: Crisis Rocks Kaduna ADC Over Power Tussle
The Kaduna State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is enmeshed in crisis as a fierce power struggle among leading figures threatens the party’s chances in the 2027 general elections.
ADC stalwart, Malam Salihu Lukman, raised the alarm on Wednesday, warning that the party may not make a meaningful impact at the polls if the internal rift persists.
In a statement, Lukman alleged that some party leaders have aligned with certain aspiring candidates for the 2027 elections to the exclusion of others.
He called on former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, Malam Jaafaru Sani, Alhaji Bashir Saidu, and other opposition leaders in the state to halt what he described as “the madness” of candidates bent on hijacking party structures.
READ ALSO:Ex-Tinubu Campaign Coordinator Resigns From APC
According to him, “anybody who is not ready to work as part of a united opposition in Kaduna State is consciously or unconsciously working for the APC.”
Expressing concern over the infighting, Lukman said his efforts to mediate had largely failed.
“The fact that Senator Musa Bello is aggressively seeking to control structures of ADC in Zone 2 is a reflection of my failure, largely because I am associated with him.
“Senator Lawal Adamu (Mr. La) has avoided all my requests to meet him. I have met Malam Jaafaru Sani on this matter and had discussions with Malam Nasir. Sadly, we are not united, and the perception is that I am part of the problem.”
READ ALSO:Why APC Candidates Contested 2023 LG Election Despite Intimidation — State Chairman
Lukman stressed that he has no political ambition but remains committed to building a united front. “As a citizen from Kaduna State, I am willing to make every necessary sacrifice to move our state forward. Without sounding immodest, I made every sacrifice to contribute to forming the coalition and negotiating the agreement with ADC.
“May I therefore appeal to Malam Nasir and all our leaders to please seek to unite us. It is only if we are united in ADC that we can unite our people in the state to defeat the APC in 2027. We must bear in mind that it is not just about defeating APC but about producing a government controlled by our party based on collective leadership.
“We need to put an end to the era when we produce emperors as governors. Anything short of a government managed by collective leadership under ADC will be unacceptable.”
Politics
Ondo PDP Spokesperson Resigns, Gives Reason
The Director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State, Mr Leye Igbabo, has resigned from his position, citing an unfriendly and hostile environment.
Igbabo’s resignation letter was addressed to the state secretariat of the party and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Akure.
He alleged that the working environment has become “hostile” to him, hence the need for him to resign.
“It is disheartening to know that the secretariat has become hostile to me, and this is affecting the effectiveness and efficiency of my duties as the Director of Media and Publicity.
READ ALSO:2027: Presidency’s Attack On Jonathan Shows Fear Of PDP, Says Zamfara PDP
“I note with pain, utter deceit, huge compromise, and gross indiscipline that there is no more sincerity of purpose, and under such circumstances, I do not want to be labelled as an incompetent official.
“My continuously staying in such an unproductive environment amounts to a precious waste of my time and energy.
“I, therefore, resign my appointment as the Director of Media and Publicity of PDP in Ondo State with immediate effect,” he said.
(NAN)
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