Politics
Fubara’s Last Card As Loyalists Await APC appeal verdict
The speculation came amidst the disqualification of his loyalists by the screening committee of the APC for the House of Assembly aspirants.
The governor, speaking during an inspection tour of the newly constructed general hospital and the fully remodelled Neuropsychiatric Hospital, both in Rumuigbo, Obiakpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, on Wednesday, said contrary to the erroneous reports in a section of the media in the last couple of days, he remained a member of the ruling party and would continue to work for the overall interest of the party.
“I know that there has been a lot of drama in the media, one story or another.
“I am a member of the All Progressives Congress, and nothing has changed. People should stop using whatever situation they pick up from social media or their own interpretation of any situation to present me wrongly.
“I’ve not gone anywhere; I’m still a member of the APC, and I remain a member. Whatever happens, what is important is supporting the overall interest of the party.”
While he was conducted round the facilities by the Director of Medical Services in the Rivers State Ministry of Health, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, the governor expressed delight at the completion of the two projects, which, according to him, were conceived to address critical needs in the health sector in the state.
“This very project, if you could remember, when we came in, we had an issue that required our sudden visit, and it had to do with mental health.
“So when we came here for the inspection of the rehabilitation centre that the board was trying to put together, we found out that we had more issues than even the mental health issue.
“We didn’t have a general hospital to serve the people within this area. The closest medical centre that they had here was the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, which is very far from here.
“We felt that with the space we have in this compound, it would be proper for us to also have a general hospital situated in this particular facility to take care of the neighbouring communities up to Rumuola, Rumuolumeni and all the surrounding areas.
“Today, to the glory of God, we can see that the project is already completed. It is not 95 per cent complete, it is a hundred per cent completion,” he added.
Meanwhile, Aspirants seeking a ticket of the All Progressives Congress for the Rivers State House of Assembly who submitted appeals after their screening last weekend are waiting with bated breath for the outcome of the appeal.
Meanwhile, the APC assembly screening appeal committee, headed by Dr Abdul Mahmud, concluded its two-day sitting on Wednesday evening.
Mahmud, who had promised that the committee would attend to all petitions until 5pm on Wednesday, commended the aspirants for their peaceful conduct.
The number of petitions received by the committee could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report.
As of Tuesday, when the panel chairman briefed the media, he said 19 petitions had been received, adding that it would sit until 5pm on Friday to receive more from other aspirants.
The state APC spokesman, Chibike Ikenga, who was seen driving out of the secretariat, confirmed that the panel had concluded its report, adding that it would disclose its findings in due course.
When contacted, one of the aspirants who submitted an appeal, Gogo Isaiah, said he appeared before the panel with the necessary documents requested.
“So I am waiting for the panel to make its report public,” he stated.
On Tuesday, Mahmud had warned aspirants to stop sending him congratulatory messages.
He condemned the conduct of one of the disqualified aspirants, Mr Tonye Tom-George, whom the APC screening committee accused of attempting to bribe members during the screening.
Recall that Tom-George, while reacting to the allegations by the screening committee chairman, Muraina Ajibola, called for proof.
Mahmud, however, expressed shock that the same aspirant sent him a message to congratulate him on his appointment to the state APC House of Assembly appeal panel.
Answering questions from newsmen in Port Harcourt, Mahmud, who noted that aside from Tom-George, he received similar messages from other aspirants, said such messages were not necessary as he was in the state for serious business.
Mahmud said such salutations and pleasantries had the possibility of leaving an impression on the mind of a panelist.
Mahmud stated, “I need to say this, and it has become a malaise in our country.
“You know judges are sitting over matters, litigants will go behind the judges, seek their telephone number and begin to send text messages, good morning, sir. I hope you slept well.
“Even where, in the face of it is not an attempt to influence the judge, but you’re putting yourself in the face of the judge.
“And I think we should discourage Nigerians from doing that. I have received communications from appellants who are to appear before me, congratulating me on my appointment.
“I have received a WhatsApp message from him. That is Mr Tom-George, telling me good morning, congratulations on my appointment. Those things are not necessary.
“I think we should discourage ourselves from some of these things.”
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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