A former Media Aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, on Saturday prayed that former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar should step down for his Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi, in 2027.

Onochie said Atiku stepping down for Obi would make President Bola Tinubu’s reelection easier.

Posting on X, Onochie wrote: “Our Father and our God. Yes, it’s me, your son. I pray that Atiku steps down for Obi, so that 2027 would be an easy job for APC re-election


“You know I never ask you for anything because you are a responsible father who provides for me, always. Thank you for answered prayer.”

Atiku recently said he would not hesitate to support Obi in the next election if the party picks the former Anambra governor.

DAILY POST recalls that Obi and Atiku recently met behind closed doors, sparking speculations about a merger of some opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.


Confirming the move by opposition parties to align in a bid to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2027 election, Atiku said, “We can merge to achieve a common goal. So, it’s possible and nothing can stop it if we so wish to achieve that.”

Atiku said if the new “party decides that it’s the turn of the South-East and Peter Obi is chosen, I won’t hesitate to support him”.

“I have said repeatedly and I even said it before the 2023 general elections that if PDP decides to zone the presidential ticket to the South or South-East specifically, I won’t contest it.”

…..Ighodalo hints of Ecumenical Centre, Thanksgiving Day for Edo if elected

The Edo State chapters of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have endorsed the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the September 21 governorship election, Dr. Asue Ighodalo, and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie, as their preferred candidates.

The endorsement and prayer for their victory took place during the PFN’s 2024 Edo State School of Ministry at the PCU-PFN administrative headquarters by Egba Junction along the Benin-Auchi Road. The event, themed “Walking in Dominion,” was attended by over 100 ministers from various ministries.

Speaking at the occasion, PFN state Chairman, Pastor Dr. (Mrs) M.O. Agbonifo, expressed the Christian body’s delight in having Ighodalo and his running mate present with them, stating, “We have no single doubt that they are the best pair for the top job in the state.” She added a humorous note, recounting how another candidate had approached them with a promise of a Coaster bus but delivered a Sienna, likening it to “a man promising to give a cow but delivered a goat” to which the gathering roared in laughter. She then wondered if a man who made a promise before God and failed would ever honour any promise he could have made to man.

Edo State First Lady, Mrs Betsy Obaseki, who represented Governor Godwin Obaseki, expressed gratitude for the Church’s immense support for her husband in 2016 and 2020, and its extension to the PDP candidate. “I correct the sacrilege committed by the other candidate by donating the Coaster bus, because we value the church and hold it in very high esteem,” she said.

The State CAN Chairman, Apostle General, Dr. Irekpono Omoike, formally announced the endorsement and led the outpouring of prophetic prayers for the success and victory of Ighodalo and his running mate.

In his acceptance speech punctuated with intermittent applause and shouts of approval, Ighodalo expressed profound gratitude to the Church, saying, “I am really humbled by the trust and confidence reposed on me. And I promise you, I won’t disappoint you or let you down.” He hinted at plans to build an Ecumenical Centre in Edo State and institute an Edo Thanksgiving Day, and pledged to provide a 100KVA generator to power the PFN administrative centre.

“I wish to say this, too, that Edo State, like some other states, should have an Ecumenical Centre as a further step to fostering unity within the Christian faith in Edo State and we will ensure everybody has the freedom to practice and observe his faith without let or hindrance .More also, we will institute an Edo Thanksgiving Day, a day set aside in the year to thank God for everything”.

In a brief speech, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of the Trinity House Church, Lagos, who is the younger brother of the candidate, emphasized that the election in September transcends partisan contest and that it is essentially a contest between the forces of light and darkness in Edo State. He said that anyone who had come across his brother would know that he represents light and that he would light up Edo State. He pledged to donate N5 million towards fuel for the 100KVA generator promised by his brother.

Adabo Mohammed, a police inspector has been dismissed over alleged involvement in robbery and kidnapping in the federal capital territory (FCT).


Announcing this on Friday, May 17, the Nigeria Police Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi said Mohammed and five others were members of an armed robbery gang allegedly responsible for the stealing of N29.8 million from a victim during a robbery operation in the Gwagwalada area of Abuja.


The dismissed officer was also part of a gang that kidnapped one Ikechukwu Emmanuel Okafor, in the Tunga Maje area of Abuja and collected N4.4 million in ransom. He further revealed that Mohammed has been charged to court.


Adejobi also disclosed that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun has also approved the demotion of three inspectors to the rank of sergeant over alleged extortion.


The demoted officers as Osagie Efford, Semiu Agbekin, and Francis Ahuen, who were attached to the special tactical squad (STS) in the FCT. It was gathered that they intercepted an unregistered Mercedes Benz at the Gwarinpa area of the territory and “forced the occupants to part with the total sum of N29.4m”.

Adejobi added;

“While the monies have been returned to the complainants, the officers were subjected to orderly room trial in line with extant laws, and have been demoted.”

The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Shehu Gabam has faulted the immediate past government of Muhammadu Buhari for failing to address Nigeria’s challenges, accusing it of bequeathing a comatose economy to President Bola Tinubu. 

Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) handed over to his party man Tinubu about a year ago.

But Gabam claims Tinubu inherited a terrible economy from Buhari.

“I have said several times that Buhari’s government is the worst that Nigeria has ever had. It is the consequence that President Bola Tinubu is suffering from because he knew he inherited an economy that has collapsed,” he said on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today. 

Following the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira, the cost of living was pushed to new levels.

However, the SDP chieftain has faulted the moves, insisting President Tinubu’s reforms were rushed.

“He knew that he inherited an economy that had collapsed. His responsibility is to find the softer ways to revive the economy, not the harsh way because you cannot revive it in a day. When someone faints, it requires a lot of process to bring him back to life,” Gabam said but maintained that: “He inherited an economy that is in the ICU.”

Despite the reforms, inflation has reached historic highs, clocking 33.69% in April 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)’s Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Gabam has accused the handlers of the economy of not doing the right things. But to make things better, he has some advice for the President Tinubu-led administration.

The SDP chairman said, “what you need is strategic thinkers, strategic applications, and strategic implementation. It has nothing to do with rush hour.”

Gabam asked the Tinubu administration to go back to the basis and use the template already in place to revive the economy.

“There are records in the Ministry of Finance, there are records of successful management of the economy, both regime, both military and civilian regime,” he said.

“There is a base, there is a template for him to follow. And then given the dynamics of the new generation that we belong to, the modern economy that we run, all they need to do is to remodernise, reinject a lot of initiative, a lot of innovation to drive the economy.”