Connect with us


BIG STORY

Those Who Ignored G-5 Would Soon Realize Their ‘Grave Mistake’ After February 25, No More Reconciliation — Wike

Published

on

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has foreclosed the possibility of the Group of Five (G-5) governors reaching a last-minute truce with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the party’s national leadership under Dr. Iyorchia Ayu.

The governor spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

He denied that the G-5, who he said were fighting for justice, equity, and fairness in the PDP, were working at cross-purposes.

Wike said the “Integrity Group” was intact and that its members would make their impact felt during the presidential election on February 25.

The PDP plunged into crisis during its national convention in May last year following the emergence of former vice president Atiku as the presidential candidate.

Atiku defeated 12 other aspirants, including Wike, to clinch the ticket.

Wike and four other governors – Seyi Makinde (Oyo); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) and Samuel Ortom (Benue) – demanded the stepping aside of Ayu as a condition to join the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).

The G-5 governors argued that Ayu must yield his position to a southerner in the spirit of equity and justice within the opposition party.

They argued that this would correct the “regional imbalance” in the party since Atiku and Ayu are from the North.

The aggrieved governors have turned down every reconciliation move because of Ayu’s retention as the party’s national chair.

Wike, according to a statement signed in Port Harcourt by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said no G-5 governor had so far attended the PDP presidential campaign in their respective states.

He said the timeframe for resolving the grievance of the G-5 was “over” and he was “not ready to sit down with anybody again”.

On the possibility of an eleventh-hour parley, the governor said: “We can’t do that again. It is over. We have said it and there is nothing anybody can do about it now. They believe that they have won the election, so they don’t need us. I am not ready to sit down again with anybody.”

The governor said persons who chose to ignore the G-5 and other members of the Integrity Group would soon realise their “grave mistake” after February 25.

Wike, who said he had no apology for hosting the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other leaders of the party in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, declined to mention his preferred presidential candidate.

According to him, PDP leaders in Rivers State had already taken a position on whom the state’s electorate would vote for and that the decision had been communicated to party supporters ahead of next week’s election.

Speaking on the PDP national leadership’s decision not to hold its presidential campaign in Rivers, the governor claimed that members of the state’s PCC lacked organisation skill.

Wike also addressed President Muhammadu Buhari’s broadcast on the new naira notes scarcity, saying Buhari’s insistence that the old N500 and N1000 notes ceased to be legal tender was interference with a pending lawsuit.

The governor stressed that the president’s directive to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to reintroduce only the old N200 note into the economy was an affront to the Supreme Court.

“As far as I am concerned, this is a complete interference, which is not good for our democracy,” he said.

The governor described as hypocritical the Federal Government proposing an out-of-court settlement with aggrieved states, while at the same time, undermining the outcome of the pending suit before the apex court.

Wike insisted that the apex court’s interim injunction subsisted and must be respected by the Federal Government.

Wike said: “Until that is done, there is nothing anybody can do about it. The issue of N200 naira in circulation is neither here nor there. If they had pulled out of court, then the President could come in. Having not pulled out of court and the interim order still subsists, we should obey it to the letter.”

He reasoned that the Federal Government’s claim that the naira redesign policy would curb corruption and vote buying was untenable, describing the implementation as political.

A war of words broke out between Wike and Atiku’s supporters over Wednesday’s visit of former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to the state for his presidential campaign rally.

Members of PDP PCC in the state criticized Wike for receiving Tinubu in the council chamber of the Rivers State Government House, despite being a member of an opposition party.

But the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Chris Finebone, defended the governor, saying he remained a leader of PDP.

BIG STORY

BREAKING: GTCO Becomes First Banking Stock To Exceed N100 On NGX

Published

on

Guaranty Trust Holding Company has achieved a strong mid-market showing during the July 16, 2025, trading session, surpassing the N100 milestone.

This makes GTCO the first banking stock listed under the NGX Banking Index to cross the N100 benchmark, while Stanbic IBTC Holdings remained just below at N99.

The upward movement aligns with the broader positive sentiment in the banking sector, where the NGX Banking Index has gained over 22% so far in July.

The development follows GTCO’s recent dual listing, which involved 2.29 billion ordinary shares being listed on the London Stock Exchange on July 9, 2025, and another 2.28 billion shares added to the Nigerian Exchange the next day.

The stock’s rise appears driven by investor response to its cross-border listing and its strong Q1 2024 financial performance. Month-to-date, GTCO has posted a gain exceeding 27%.

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

BREAKING: Atiku Abubakar Resigns From PDP

Published

on

The presidential flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has officially withdrawn his membership from the opposition party.

Atiku submitted his resignation ahead of the 2027 general elections, following confirmation of his involvement in forming a new coalition known as the Alliance Democratic Congress.

The resignation was contained in a letter dated Monday, July 14, 2025, and addressed to the chairman of the PDP in Jada 1 ward, Jada Local Government Area, Adamawa State.

A copy of the letter was shared on X by the Special Assistant on Media to the former Vice President on Wednesday.

The letter stated, “I am writing to formally resign my membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude for the opportunities I have been given by the party.

“Serving two full terms as Vice President of Nigeria and being a presidential candidate twice has been one of the most significant chapters of my life.

“As a founding father of this esteemed party, it is indeed heartbreaking for me to make this decision.

“However, I find it necessary to part ways due to the current trajectory the party has taken, which I believe diverges from the foundational principles we stood for. It is with a heavy heart that I resign, recognising the irreconcilable differences that have emerged.

“I wish the party and its leadership all the best in the future. Thank you once again for the opportunities and support.”

 

More to come…

Continue Reading

BIG STORY

EFCC To Appeal Ruling Acquitting Fayose Of Money Laundering Charges

Published

on

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will challenge the judgment that cleared Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti state, of money laundering and fraud accusations.

In his decision on a no-case submission, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke ruled that the prosecution did not provide enough evidence to require Fayose to present a defence.

After the judgment, EFCC counsel Rotimi Jacobs stated that the commission would obtain the certified judgment and begin the appeal process.

Fayose and his company, Spotless Investment Limited, had been re-arraigned on an 11-count charge of laundering ₦6.9 billion, allegedly during his time as governor.

The charges included allegations that Fayose received ₦1.2 billion for his 2014 campaign and accepted $5 million in cash from Obanikoro, bypassing standard banking procedures.

He was also accused of laundering several sums and using over ₦1.6 billion to purchase properties via proxies and firms such as De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd, contrary to the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011.

During the May 19 no-case submission, Kanu Agabi, Fayose’s lawyer, argued that the prosecution failed to prove its case and pointed out that Abiodun Agbele, allegedly central to the transactions, wasn’t charged, which weakened the EFCC’s position.

“With due respect, the predicate offences do not hold water. Criminal breach of trust and conspiracy are distinct offences, and no co-conspirator was charged,” Agabi stated.

He asked the court to find that Fayose had no case to answer.

Olalekan Ojo, lawyer for the second defendant, also submitted a separate no-case application dated March 21, 2025, with supporting documents filed on May 16.

Ojo contended that the main evidence provided by the prosecution, particularly Obanikoro’s testimony, was unreliable since he confirmed there was no direct communication between Fayose and Sambo Dasuki, the former national security adviser.

Jacobs, however, urged the judge to dismiss the no-case submissions, arguing that there were unexplained financial activities that needed clarification.

He questioned why Fayose didn’t use his personal account if the money was legitimate, referencing EFCC investigator Abubakar Madaki’s claim that Fayose acquired properties through associates who later denied ownership, even though Fayose admitted the properties were his.

“If the money was clean, why not buy the properties in his name?” Jacobs asked.

He also referred to Obanikoro’s account that Fayose requested the money in cash and introduced Agbele to receive it, saying Fayose must explain these actions.

Despite these arguments, the court ruled in favour of the defendants and granted the no-case submission.

Continue Reading



 

Join Us On Facebook

Most Popular