Politics
Abati suggests IQ test for Ministers, blasts Wike’s utterances
Arise Tv Morning Show host, Reuben Abati, on Monday, came hard on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike over his utterances during a thanksgiving service at St James Anglican Church, Asokoro, Abuja on Sunday.
Wike was at the church with FCT officials for a thanksgiving following the completion of project commissioning by the ministry.Recall that when the officiating priest handed over by microphone to him, he turned the place into a campaign ground, casting aspersions on all the members of the opposition coalition.
He went as far as saying that Mr Peter Obi will never be president of Nigeria.
His action has attracted reactions from Nigerians, with many calling on the Primate of the Anglican Communion and Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev Dr Henry Ndukuba to sanction the priest, Ven Ben Idume.
Speaking during the Arise TV morning show programme, Abati took a swipe at Wike, accusing him of going to the church to masturbate.
He questioned the rationale behind going to church just to celebrate commissioning of projects.
“First, let’s deal with the idea of going to have a thanksgiving service, because you have a minister of the Federal Capital Territory, who has done some projects, who has spent about 11 days launching projects, and the President attended it, and then he goes to church.
“And he goes to church to go and masturbate, to engage in a process of self adulation.
“I find that very childish, and that’s why we question it.
“Now let’s make the point, that this constitution that we talk about says in Section 10 that there shall be no state religion in any part.
“So Nyesom Wiki going to church to go and have a song and dance is a violation of that part. He’s not going there in his personal capacity. He’s taking the whole machinery of the FCT to church to go and celebrate projects.
“Some of these churches, the church that he went to is Saint James Anglican Church. We call out the priest in that church this morning.
“Some of these priests, whether they are Anglican or Catholic, should also have the common sense to be able to say that certain things are not acceptable, no matter the amount of money, that whether government official is bringing in a public capacity.
“Number two, who else will Nyesom Wike not abuse in this country.
“We are waiting for the day he will abuse President Tinubu, and we’ll be here to tell President Tinubu that we warned you that this person, the way he’s going, he is going to abuse you one day when the occasion provides himself.
“He has abused, Sir Peter Odili, he has abused, Rotimi Amaechi, he has abused Dele Momodu, and that is why Dele Momodu is saying that some of these people in government, they should take a breathalyzer test, some people are saying they should take psychiatric tests.
“So why should public officials just talk out of turn? Now, he’s attacking Rotimi Amaechi’s wife, that she’s this and that. Look, how does a wife get into the subject?
“And he’s going about saying his father was a director of major companies, who cares whether his father was a mechanic or a vulcanizer? That’s not what we are talking about.
“He has a job as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Can all of these people just focus on that? My wife is richer than your wife? My father is richer than your father.
“This is why I said this morning that there should be an IQ test for the people that we send into the government, if you don’t have basic intelligence, don’t just go near power.
“I end by saying that President Tinubu should beware. He should pay more attention to the character of the people that he puts in a very important position. Can these people grow up? How can we put children in important positions?” Abati concluded.
Also, his colleague, Rufai Oseni also said the priest in question allowed the church to be desecrated.
“Where should I start from? First, the church- the desecration of the church? I’m not surprised. I’m not surprised that the church is now being desecrated. the altar of God is being desecrated,” Rufai lamented.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
Ahead of the 2027 National Assembly elections, a mass protest voting movement may be building up in Anambra South Senatorial District, following reported moves by members of major political parties to support the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Chief Ebuka Onunkwo.
The development is said to be linked to grievances among some members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and remnants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the treatment allegedly meted out to Onunkwo during previous political contests.
Onunkwo, who had previously contested the Anambra South senatorial seat under APGA, later emerged as the NDC candidate for the 2027 election.
Although the ADC is currently embroiled in legal disputes over the authentic candidates and the conduct of its primary elections, some members of the APC and APGA are also reportedly dissatisfied with developments within their respective parties.
It was gathered that a section of APGA members, in particular, are backing Onunkwo as a form of protest over the conduct of the party’s senatorial primary, while some members of other parties are also believed to be considering voting for him irrespective of their party affiliations.
Confirming the growing support for Onunkwo, the Chief Executive Officer of NOWAS Oil and Gas Limited and a major stakeholder in Anambra South politics, Chief Ignesus Ikechukwudere Nnubia, said the NDC candidate currently enjoys widespread acceptability across party lines.
Nnubia said the growing support for Onunkwo had made his party affiliation less significant, arguing that voters would ultimately vote according to their conscience and assessment of the candidates.
He said, “At the moment, the number of APGA members with him and supporting him makes one wonder what is left of that party. Even the remnants of the PDP have pitched their tents with him, while members of the ruling APC at the national level are also behind him.
“So, the party that he belongs to is not a factor at all. You know that it is a game of numbers, and people are going to vote according to their conscience and not necessarily because of the political party they belong to.
“People are not bound to vote for their party, and some of them are ready and willing to vote for him.
“We are not talking about the party because he will surely get votes from the NDC, APGA, APC and even other political parties that are already closing ranks to support him as their candidate.”
Nnubia further described Onunkwo as the candidate currently standing tall among the contenders for the Anambra South senatorial seat, expressing confidence that his emergence would usher in what he described as a “new dawn” for the district.
He said political parties should not be the major consideration for voters, stressing that what matters most is the ability of elected representatives to improve the lives of their constituents.
According to him, political parties exist because of the people, and therefore the influence of party structures and incumbency has its limits during elections.
Nnubia said those factors would ultimately be tested by the electorate in the 2027 election, which he described as a contest in which voters’ choices would determine the outcome.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ebonyi State election, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to attract more than ₦2 trillion in private-sector investment to the state within six months of assuming office if elected.
Odii made the pledge while addressing supporters in Lagos ahead of the formal commencement of his campaign.
He said his investment strategy would cover key sectors of the Ebonyi economy, including mining, hospitality, real estate and manufacturing.
According to the PDP candidate, he has identified more than 2,000 prospective investors, each capable of investing about ₦1 billion in the state.
“I have over 2,000 people who can invest ₦1 billion each. When you multiply it, you will get over ₦2 trillion. This has been structured in such a way that all aspects of the economy will be involved,” Odii said.
He said the proposed investment drive was designed not only to inject capital into the state but also to create jobs, expand the productive base of the economy and provide opportunities for young people and entrepreneurs.
Odii said Ebonyi’s natural resources and strategic location placed it in a strong position to attract large-scale investments if its economic potential was properly harnessed.
He promised that his administration would prioritise private-sector participation, industrialisation and job creation while creating an enabling environment for both local and foreign investors.
The candidate also said existing businesses in the state would be supported to expand, while new investors would be encouraged to establish operations across various sectors.
His pledge comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with economic development, employment generation and wealth creation featuring prominently in his campaign message.
The proposed ₦2 trillion investment target within six months, if achieved, would represent a significant boost to Ebonyi’s economy and rank among the most ambitious private-sector investment mobilisation plans proposed in the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The planned visit of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Anambra State has sparked controversy following a protest by the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Emma Anosike, that the party was not informed about the visit.
Anosike said the APC in Anambra was never consulted or briefed about the proposed visit, adding that the party was taken aback by reports that the wife of the party’s national leader and presidential candidate, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, would be visiting the state without recourse to the state chapter.
He said, “It is indeed strange that the First Lady of our presidential candidate is visiting Anambra State without recourse to the party in the state.
“The party wishes to state categorically that we are not part of the arrangements for the reception of our First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, because the party was never put in the picture.”
Anosike also dismissed the mantra that “The Progressives Are Working Together”, being canvassed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), describing it as a smokescreen by the ruling party in Anambra to hijack President Tinubu’s re-election from the APC.
He said, “For instance, the APGA-led government in Anambra State did not interface with us on the organisation of the visit, and the party wonders if the progressives are indeed working together.”
The APC chairman, however, said the development would not compromise the First Lady’s visit, urging all APC members and supporters in the state to turn out and give Senator Oluremi Tinubu a warm welcome.
He stressed that despite the party’s reservations over the arrangements, APC members remained committed to welcoming the First Lady to Anambra State.
Former Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Sagir Saleh, has resigned his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Saleh, who served as deputy governor under former Governor Isa Yuguda, announced his resignation in a letter submitted to the party leadership in Katagum Local Government Area.
He cited personal reasons for his decision but did not provide further details.
His exit comes amid growing disagreements within the Bauchi APC following the party’s 2027 governorship primary. Other prominent members, including former governorship aspirant Bala Jibrin and Sunusi Kunde, an associate of Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, have also reportedly left the party.
Jibrin, a former National Auditor of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), resigned on August 31, 2026, following his opposition to the emergence of former Bauchi Governor Muhammad Abubakar as the APC’s 2027 governorship candidate.
He had criticised the primary process and questioned how the candidate emerged.
Kunde also resigned from the APC in August, submitting his resignation to the party chairman of Beti Ward in Misau Local Government Area.
The latest departures are coming as efforts continue to resolve internal disputes and disagreements among APC members in the state.
The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has raised the alarm over an alleged plot to assassinate former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election.
Ayodele issued the warning in a video shared on his verified X account on Sunday, urging both opposition figures to strengthen their security and remain vigilant.
The cleric did not identify those allegedly behind the purported plot but claimed that attempts were being made to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
According to him, divine intervention would prevent the alleged plan from succeeding.
“Obi and Atiku, be very conscious of your security. They are looking for any means to eliminate Obi and Atiku.
“But God will never allow it to happen. Watch out and be cautious about your security,” he said.
Ayodele also urged President Bola Tinubu to reconsider travelling to the United States, alleging that there were forces in America working against his political fortunes.
The claims come as political activities and realignments intensify ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
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