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PDP Presidential Primary: Wike Wasted Rivers’ N30bn – Peterside

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A prominent political leader in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has congratulated Alhaji Atiku Abubakar on winning the presidential ticket of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the 2023 election.

Dakuku Peterside, who said the outcome of the PDP presidential primary on Saturday, in Abuja, was a proof that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, was only a ‘local champion’ who lacked the requisite experience to compete in national politics, expressed sadness that despite spending not less than N30bn of Rivers’ funds, PDP delegates still rejected him.

“Wike has shown lack of requisite experience and depth to compete in national politics”, the former Director-General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, stated and advised the defeated presidential aspirant to submit himself to Atiku to be tutored on how hi-wire politics is played. “I suggest that Wike quickly returns home, shades off his toga of pride, and submit himself to Atiku to be tutored on the dynamics of national politics and the angles to hi-wire deals”, he added.

While lamenting that Rivers State would be worse off now that Wike has suffered this crushing defeat in the hands of Atiku, Dakuku Peterside noted that giving away about N10bn of public funds in unsolicited charity to states, and about N20bn pursuing his ill-fated presidential bid, confirm his earlier stance that Wike’s governorship is among Rivers States worst era since 1967.. “That Wike could dip his hands that deep into Rivers’ treasury to pursue his vaunting ambition is a confirmation of my earlier assertion that Wike’s governorship represents our all-time low moments since the state was created on May 27, 1967.”

Continuing, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, a former member of the National Assembly, wondered how, in order to pursue personal ambition, Wike turned deaf ears to the daily cries of pensioners and other workers who are being owed their entitlements in the state. “I wonder how Wike sleeps at night with Rivers’ pensioners going to bed hungry, and a sizeable number not waking up again out of frustration. For his personal ego and ambition, he preferred to lavish billions of naira on delegates than attend to those senior citizens.”

The opportunity cost of Wike’s circus presidential pursuit is the abandonment of education, healthcare, and human capacity development in the state, the turnaround expert argued. “Rivers state is so blessed yet our people are leaving in untold hardship and experiencing underdevelopment because of Wike’s visionless administration of state resources, “ said Dr. Peterside .

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NDLEA Seizes Lipsticks Stuffed With Drugs At Lagos Airport [VIDEO]

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Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency have uncovered another batch of female lipsticks containing illegal drugs at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, revealed this in a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) page on Sunday.

He also urged Nigerians, particularly women, to be extremely vigilant when purchasing or accepting beauty products, especially from unfamiliar sellers or dubious online platforms.

The statement read, Ladies beware! It does appear like female lipstick is becoming attractive as an instrument for concealment and trafficking now with yet another consignment of factory fitted female lipsticks stuffed with illicit substances intercepted at MMIA barely a week after @ndlea_nigeria officers uncovered a similar cargo at a courier company in Lagos.

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JUST IN: Former President Buhari Dies In London Clinic

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Former Nigerian leader, Muhammadu Buhari, passed away on Sunday.

His longtime media aide, Garba Shehu, confirmed the news in a brief statement issued on Sunday afternoon, stating that the former president died at a clinic in London.

Shehu’s message, distributed to the media, read:
“INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAIHIRRAJIUUN. The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London. May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin.”

The statement concluded with the date: July 13, 2025.

Although the cause of death was not disclosed, Buhari, who held office from 2015 to 2023, had frequently sought medical care in the United Kingdom during and after his time as president.

Buhari, a retired Major General in the Nigerian Army, first led Nigeria as a military head of state from 1983 to 1985. Decades later, he was elected president through a democratic process. He made history as the first opposition candidate to unseat a sitting president in Nigeria.

Funeral plans have not yet been made public.

 

More to come…

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No Effective Governance Without Full Local Government Autonomy — Femi Gbajabiamila

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The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has stated that governance at the local government level cannot be effective without complete autonomy.

He made the remark while addressing journalists after voting in the Lagos State local government elections in Surulere on Saturday.

When asked about the progress of implementing the LG autonomy ruling by the Supreme Court one year after it was delivered, Gbajabiamila described the process as ongoing and said it would be completed with time.

Gbajabiamila said, “The ruling was welcome by everybody. It’s the execution of that ruling and the implementation of that ruling that we are still trying to dot the Is and cross the Ts.

“I believe in a matter of time, we will realise full autonomy. There cannot be effective governance without full autonomy. That’s what we are working toward.”

In July 2024, the Supreme Court granted autonomy to all 774 local government areas across the country following a case filed by the federal government through the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation. However, the ruling is yet to be fully implemented.

Following the judgement, the Senate urged state and local governments to immediately adhere to the court’s directive, especially regarding local government accounts and direct fund disbursements.

The Senate also moved to amend relevant sections of the Constitution to ensure full local government autonomy nationwide.

The announcement was made by Deputy Senate President Senator Jibrin Barau, after lawmakers emerged from a closed-door session where they discussed alleged efforts by some state governments to bypass the Supreme Court’s ruling on July 11.

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