CATHOLIC Archbishop of Abuja Emeritus, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has taken a swipe at political leaders in the executive, legislature and judiciary arms of government who misuse power to oppress people, warning them to kn ow that power belongs only to God, to whom they would answerable.

In a homily delivered at the 17th edition of St. Patrick at Holy Family Catholic Church, Life Camp, Abuja yesterday, he warned that power must be carried out with the knowledge that the holder would give account to God on its use.

Onaiyekan, who used the presence of the Chairman, Senate Committee on National Population and National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Senator Victor Umeh, LP, Anambra Central, who was also chairman of this year’s celebration, to send a message to his co-political leaders, said: “I think I see one now, Senator Umeh, the man with the big red hat. You’re most welcome.

“Senator Umeh doesn’t belong to Edo/Delta but you know politicians are always looking for ways and means of advertising themselves. He is the senator representing Anambra Central zone in the Senate.

“You are most welcome to join in this. And through you, we are reaching out to all those big men that God had put in charge of us. God put them in charge of us.

“You know what? Since power belongs to God, anybody who holds power is holding it in the name of God. No matter how you collected the power, whether because you staged a coup with a gun, even if you rigged election and the Supreme Court declares you ruler, you should not forget power belongs to God. That is serious.

“What that means is that you are going to give account to God how you are using this power. The people may be helpless, like we all are right now, the people may not be able to challenge you and you may think you are getting away with anything. No way! God’s record is always straight and comprehensive. So, we warn them.

“That’s why we are praying for them, all that may work according to God’s will – seek justice, equity, goodness, kindness, peace, above all, above personal political and other interests.

“So, senator, you have a message. I don’t know how you will carry it to your brothers and sisters. For me, Cardinal, I have done my own part.”

Speaking on the issue of forgiveness, the Cardinal noted that there was no sin beyond forgiveness but observed that people were not always ready to ask for forgiveness, alleging that political leaders were involved in bad things and yet obtain court judgments to justify them.

He said: “But you know to ask for forgiveness entails that we admit we have done wrong. And this admission that we have done wrong is so difficult for us because of our pride. We see people do horrible things and are proud of it and they justify it.

“They can even get court judgment to support it and justify it. If we don’t acknowledge our sins, how would we ask for forgiveness? If we don’t ask for forgiveness, how will God forgive us?”

Cardinal Onaiyekan warned political leaders not to prevent people from crying about the present condition, whether over the social media or anywhere else, adding that when people suffer, they were bound to cry.

“You can’t stop people suffering from crying. And you know whenever you are crying, the Lord is listening to you.

“Don’t be tired of crying. I’m not tired of crying. I will continue to cry about…this country has enough to make us reasonably happy.

“The country has the wherewithal to make everybody happy, not everybody stinkingly rich. No. God does not provide for all our greed. God has provided for all our needs,’’ he said.

The Catholic Archbishop, who alluded to the biblical suffering of Israelites in Egypt for hundreds of years, reminded leaders that the poor victims could not organize themselves to overthrow the Egyptians but God came to their aid.

Quoting from the book of Exodus to back his admonition, he said: “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters; I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptian, and to bring them up out of the land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

The Emeritus Archbishop, who called for prayers for those in power not to forget that power comes from God, admonished them to know that people were suffering, advising Edo/Delta Catholic community in Abuja to marry their culture with their Christian belief “You do not have to choose between your Christian faith and your Edo/Delta culture. Both can and must enrich each other. And I believe that’s what we are celebrating here this day in this church,’’ he admonished

PMAN slams depot owners for stockpiling product, FG, Dangote resume talks today

Following the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s suspension of the sale of petroleum products in naira, some filling stations have started stockpiling Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, The PUNCH reports.

The retailers are storing the product to ensure they have enough to sell at a higher rate, having projected that the price of petrol would go up soon as a result of the failure of the Federal Government to continue the sale of crude oil to the Dangote refinery in the local currency.

However, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria warned these retailers to stop panic buying as they may run into heavy losses.

Last week, the Dangote refinery announced that it had temporarily halted the sale of petroleum products in naira as the naira-for-crude talks between it and NNPCL appeared to have failed.

The 650,000 barrels per day capacity refinery lamented that there was a mismatch between its sales proceeds and its crude oil purchase obligations, which it said are currently denominated in US dollars.

“Dear valued customers, we wish to inform you that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has temporarily halted the sale of petroleum products in naira. This decision is necessary to avoid a mismatch between our sales proceeds and our crude oil purchase obligations, which are currently denominated in US dollars.

“To date, our sales of petroleum products in naira have exceeded the value of naira-denominated crude we have received. As a result, we must temporarily adjust our sales currency to align with our crude procurement currency,” the firm announced.

Immediately after the announcement, the cost of loading petrol at private depots in Lagos jumped to about N900/litre. It was less than N850/litre before the announcement.

In an interview with our correspondent on Sunday, the National Publicity Secretary of IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, said depot owners were profiteering even as some owners of filling stations were in a rush to stockpile fuel.

According to him, the demand for PMS has risen since Wednesday, when Dangote made the announcement. As a result, depot owners were said to have raised their prices to make more profit.

It was observed that players in the downstream petroleum sector have been left to continue speculating on the prices of petroleum products as the Federal Government had kept mute since the announcement made by the Dangote refinery.

Five days after the announcement, the refinery has yet to tell marketers how the dealers will buy PMS going forward.

Private depot owners wasted no time in jerking up their prices in anticipation of a possible hike in petrol prices. Although owners of filling stations have yet to increase their prices, they are already buying to sell for more gains when the price goes up later.

But Ukadike condemned depot owners for profiteering from the impasse between the Federal Government and the Dangote refinery, saying that is not good for the economy.

He warned marketers not to panic-buy because the Dangote refinery may crash the price.

“Some depot owners are already increasing the price. But we are also asking our marketers not to panic-buy. Because definitely when the Dangote refinery comes back and reverses the price, it will be a huge loss for these marketers. Depot owners are using this opportunity to profiteer. This is not good for the economy.

“Some marketers are also stockpiling PMS in a bid to increase the price based on the suspension of naira sales by the Dangote refinery. They speculate that the price will go higher and they will make more money from the fuel they are buying now. It may not be so. This issue will be resolved,” Ukadike stated.

He warned all marketers against buying large volumes of petrol to avoid running into debt.

“We, the independent marketers, are asking our members not to buy so much goods because when they buy so much volume of fuel at a higher rate from the depot owners, at the end of the day, it might result in losing a lot of capital.

“Dangote may crash the price and most of them with high volumes of PMS will run into problems. So, all marketers should be careful to avoid losses,” he advised.

The IPMAN spokesman disclosed that the Federal Government and Dangote refinery are resolving their misunderstanding to allow the resumption of the naira crude sales. He stated that stakeholders are waiting to hear the conclusion from either party.

“I have gathered that the Federal Government and Dangote refinery are almost resolving this matter.

“The two of them are reviewing the naira-for-crude deal to continue the sale of crude oil in naira to the refinery again. But the official statement has not come out. We are waiting for the official statement,” Ukadike revealed.

Sources from the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources had earlier confirmed that the Technical Sub-Committee on the Naira-for-Crude Policy would reconvene today (Monday) to deliberate on the matter.

It was gathered that the committee had mandated the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission to come up with options that would be reviewed by the panel as it struggles to return the naira-for-crude deal.

The insider familiar with the workings of the naira-for-crude said the transaction would not be halted permanently. The source, who spoke in confidence due to lack of authorisation to speak on the matter, pointed out that NNPCL had issues with crude availability.

Industry experts and oil marketers warned that the halt in naira sales by the Dangote refinery could increase the pressure on the foreign exchange market, as dealers would now have to access the United States dollars in large amounts to buy petroleum products.

This came as multiple industry sources familiar with what prompted the failure in the naira-for-crude talk decried the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s humongous forward sale of crude.

They stressed that the national oil company had used large volumes of its yet-to-be-produced crude oil to acquire loans from various international financial institutions, making it tough for the oil firm to have enough crude to supply the domestic market.

Earlier, the NNPC spokesman, Olufemi Soneye, announced that it had initiated fresh negotiations with the Dangote refinery over the renewal of the naira-for-crude agreement, as talks were underway in anticipation of the expiration of the first phase which started in October 2024 and ends this month.

Soneye said 48 million barrels of crude had been supplied to the Dangote refinery since October.

The Dangote refinery’s suspension of the sale of petroleum products in naira means marketers would have to source dollars before buying petrol from the facility.

The National Vice President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Hammed Fashola, said there could be pressure on the naira, and it would lose the stability it had gained lately.

Experts have said that the naira-for-crude deal emboldened the Dangote refinery to lower the prices of PMS repeatedly, forcing the NNPC to do so even when it was affecting its margins.

The PUNCH reports that fuel importers lost billions of naira with the repeated reduction of fuel prices by the $20bn facility.

At a point, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria, which once commended Dangote for the price slashes, kicked against it, asking the regulator to make it mandatory that prices should only be slashed after six months.

Meanwhile, industry sources said stopping the naira-for-crude deal might be a calculated attempt to reduce the influence of the Dangote refinery, which some players in the downstream accused of planning monopolistic tendencies.

Reacting, domestic crude oil refiners argued that the halt in crude supply in naira was the latest ploy to frustrate the Dangote refinery and bring back the full importation of refined petroleum products.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Crude Oil Refinery-owners Association of Nigeria, Eche Idoko, disclosed that suspending the deal defeats the efforts of all stakeholders in the sector to achieve energy security.

The PUNCH reports that seven vessels carrying imported Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, were expected to berth at seaports along the nation’s borders between March 17 and 23.

According to a document obtained from the Nigerian Port Authority on Thursday, these vessels carrying 115,000 metric tonnes representing 154.22 million litres of PMS will bring in products through three seaports to improve fuel supply nationwide.

An analysis of the document from NPA showed that the commodities landed at the Tincan port in Lagos, the Lekki Deep Seaport in Lagos, and the Calabar port in Cross River State.

The document also revealed that the Dangote refinery imported 654,766 metric tonnes of crude oil within the same period.

Fuel crisis

Recall that the Dangote refinery in Lekki, Lagos State, was greeted by crude challenges when it began operations last year.

The President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, had cried out, saying some international oil companies were planning to sabotage the investment by refusing to supply crude.

The Dangote Group had alleged that the IOCs insisted on selling crude oil to its refinery through their foreign agents.

It said the local price of crude would continue to increase because the trading arms offered cargoes at $2 to $4 per barrel, above the official price.

The group also alleged that the foreign oil producers seem to be prioritising Asian countries in selling the crude they produce in Nigeria.

Despite the intervention of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission in July, the group insisted that the IOCs were still frustrating the refinery.

The Vice President, Oil & Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr Devakumar Edwin, said, “If the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation guidelines are diligently implemented, this will ensure that we deal directly with the companies producing the crude oil in Nigeria as stipulated by the Petroleum Industry Act.”

Edwin insisted that IOCs operating in Nigeria had consistently frustrated the company’s requests for locally-produced crude as feedstock for its refining process.

He highlighted that when cargoes were offered to the oil company by the trading arms, it was sometimes at a $2 to $4 (per barrel) premium above the official price set by the NUPRC.

The issue escalated and drew angry reactions from many Nigerians when the Chief Executive of the NMDPRA, Farouq Ahmed said local refineries were producing fuels less in quality than imported ones.

Concerned by the controversies, President Bola Tinubu, during a Federal Executive Council meeting on July 29 proposed the sale of crude to local refineries in naira.

The Federal Executive Council adopted the proposal by Tinubu to sell crude to the Dangote refinery and other upcoming refineries in the local currency.

FEC approved that the 450,000 barrels meant for domestic consumption be offered in naira to Nigerian refineries, using the Dangote refinery as a pilot.

A media aide to the President, Bayo Onanuga, said in July that “the exchange rate will be fixed for the duration of this transaction.”

The Federal Government says it will learn power generation and transmission from Egypt which it described as a role model in the sector.

The government also has reaffirmed its commitment to rural development through improved electricity access,

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, disclosed this during a recent meeting in Abuja with the Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohammed Fouad.

A statement by Adelabu’s spokesperson, Bolaji Tunji, said on Sunday that the meeting centered on strengthening bilateral cooperation in energy expansion, with a focus on renewable energy and rural electrification. 

Adelabu commended Egypt’s achievements in the energy sector, describing the country as a role model in energy infrastructure development.

He expressed Nigeria’s interest in learning from Egypt’s experience in energy generation, transmission, and distribution, adding that the success in Egypt led to the engagements with Siemens with a view towards stabilising Nigeria’s power sector.

“Egypt has made remarkable strides in energy transformation, and we are eager to collaborate and learn from your expertise. Our goal is to ensure reliable, stable, and affordable energy access for all Nigerians,” he added.

Adelabu highlighted Nigeria’s efforts to connect remote rural areas to power through renewable energy initiatives, citing the economic challenges of extending the national grid to these regions.

“Many rural areas cannot be connected to the grid due to economic constraints, but we cannot neglect them. Through our renewable energy programme, we are bridging this gap. We have secured significant investments, including $750m from the World Bank’s DARES project and an additional $190m from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to support this initiative,” Adelabu stated.

He emphasised Nigeria’s abundant renewable energy resources, including solar, wind, and hydroelectric potential, expressing the government’s determination to harness these resources for sustainable energy access.

Speaking, Fouad expressed Egypt’s enthusiasm for collaborating with Nigeria, particularly in closing the metering gap and sharing best practices in energy access.

He emphasised the shared goals and mutual benefits of strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.

“Nigeria and Egypt have much in common, and there is immense potential for collaboration in the energy sector. We are committed to working together to achieve sustainable energy solutions for both countries,” Fouad said.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu over the suspension of the democratically elected Governor, Deputy Governor, and Members of the House of Assembly of Rivers State, following the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.

Naija News reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Rivers State and also suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu and all lawmakers, while appointing a sole administrator to govern the state for an initial period of six months.

The suit, filed last Friday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, names the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, and Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd) as defendants. The plaintiffs, Yirabari Israel Nulog, Nengim Ikpoemugh Royal, and Gracious Eyoh–Sifumbukho, who are members of SERAP Volunteers’ Lawyers Network (SVLN) in Rivers State, argue that the suspension of the elected officials is unconstitutional and violates their rights to participate in the democratic process.

The plaintiffs are seeking several reliefs, including the annulment of the suspension of the officials and the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State.

They also seek a declaration that the President’s actions are unlawful and unconstitutional under various sections of the Nigerian Constitution.

In the suit, the plaintiffs argue that the suspension of elected officials in Rivers State violates the constitutional rights of citizens to participate in their government. They emphasize that such actions are against the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and the Nigerian Constitution, and they call for the reversal of these actions.

The plaintiffs, represented by their lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, argue that the President’s proclamation of a state of emergency in Rivers State did not follow the necessary constitutional process and that the suspension of elected officials undermines the country’s democratic framework.

They also seek an injunction restraining Vice Admiral Ibas from acting as the Sole Administrator and to prevent the continuation of the suspension of the elected officials.

Naija News reports that the hearing date for the case has not been set as of the time of this report.

Hundreds of constituents from Kogi central have taken to the streets in support of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents the district in the upper legislative chamber.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following a seating arrangement dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

She had earlier accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.

The protests were triggered by recent attempts by certain Kogi central constituents to initiate a recall process against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

They carried banners with inscriptions that read: ‘Natasha, Pride of Kogi Central’, ‘Protect Kogi Central Constituents’, and ‘We Stand with Natasha’.

The protesters, among them men, women, and youths, broke into songs in the Ebira language, mocking those who had initiated the recall process.

Chanting in unison, they sang: “They should be ashamed of themselves! Shame has caught them after collecting N10,000 and jollof rice from Akpabio!”

On Thursday, the federal high court in Lokoja granted an interim injunction preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or acting on petitions to recall Akpoti-Uduaghan.

On Friday, the court vacated the order, saying it is the civic right of constituents to recall any lawmaker.

Watch video of the protest below.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said its operatives have intercepted a 42-year-old Indian lady, Ms. Neetu Neetu, at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, MAKIA, Kano, with 72 parcels of heroin factory-sealed in wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates.

NDLEA stated that the class A drug consignment, weighing a total of 11 kilograms, was recovered from Neetu’s luggage after a thorough search, following processed credible intelligence, during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand, via Vietnam and Doha at the arrival hall of Kano airport on Friday, 14th March 2025.

This was made known in a statement on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja.

Babafemi disclosed that Neetu’s arrest signifies a growing attempt by drug trafficking organizations to hire white ladies and foreign nationals to move illicit drugs through Nigerian borders.

He stated that vigilant NDLEA operatives have consistently frustrated these attempts with the aid of modern technological tools and proactive intelligence, quoting the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), in his reaction to Neetu’s arrest.

In another interdiction operation in Kano, NDLEA officers on Thursday, 20th March, arrested a 45-year-old suspect, Michael Ogundele, with a 50-litre steel gas cylinder at Gadar Tamburawa, along Zaria-Kano Road. Based on credible intelligence, welding tools were later used to cut open the giant cylinder, revealing 50,000 pills of tramadol 225mg concealed inside.

Meanwhile, Sunday Ogar, 40, was nabbed at Gunduwawa area of Kano on Wednesday, 19th March, with 27kg of skunk, a strain of cannabis. Additionally, a female suspect, Khadijah Abdullahi, 40, was arrested with 424 bottles of codeine-based syrup at Lungun Bulala Yalwa area of the state on Tuesday, 18th March.

In Lagos, the duo of Olumuyiwa Kolawole and Samod Adisa were nabbed with 67.5kg of skunk in Mushin, just as 100.8kg of the same psychoactive substance was recovered from the store of two fleeing suspects in Anifowoshe area of Mushin. Meanwhile, Isah Idris was arrested in Apapa with 4.5kg of skunk, 600 grams of tramadol 225mg, and 30 litres of codeine syrup on Tuesday, 18th March.

Another suspect, Yahaya Mohamed, was arrested the same day in Ikotun area of the state with different quantities of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.

Earlier in his reaction, NDLEA boss Marwa commended the officers and men of MAKIA, Lagos, and Kano Commands of the agency for the arrests and seizures.

Marwa noted with satisfaction the balance in drug supply and demand reduction efforts of all the formations nationwide, even as he charged them not to relent.

Although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hasn’t made its official position known on the coalition being put together by some key leaders of the opposition to wrestle power from the ruling party at the federal level, All Progressives Congress (APC), and President Bola Tinubu ahead of 2027, Sunday Vanguard understands that the PDP may join forces with them on one condition: The process will not lead to its loss of identity.

The PDP was in power for 16 years before the APC dislodged it from the Presidential Villa in 2015 when then-incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan lost reelection to former President Buhari.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, had, last week, announced his decision to join the coalition with other members of opposition parties to challenge Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

Atiku was responding to a call by a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El-Rufai, to key members of opposition parties in the country to come together and fight Tinubu and APC in 2027.

El-Rufai had made the call while dumping the APC for the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

In his response, the former PDP presidential candidate confirmed that he, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Mr Peter Obi, and El-Rufai, among others, had kick-started a movement aimed at defeating Tinubu’s APC in the 2027 elections.

He spoke at a press conference organized by Nigeria’s key opposition leaders and political stakeholders to discuss the President’s controversial declaration of state of emergency in Rivers State.

When journalists asked whether the emerging coalition would be the major opposition force against the APC in 2027, Atiku did not mince words.
“Yes,” he declared.

Clarity

Sources within the PDP told Sunday Vanguard at the weekend that the party will expect the former presidential candidate to give clarity to his decision soon.

A member of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), who spoke on condition of anonymity because the matter was “yet to be discussed at the official level,” said, “We expect him to shed more light on his decision as we proceed.

“For now, he is still a high ranking member of our party the PDP.

“We have been following his public statements and engagements and he hasn’t announced to anyone that he is leaving or has left our party.

“Yes, he left the party on two previous occasions over the past two decades -first to join Tinubu’s Action Congress (AC) to contest the 2007 presidential election; and in 2013 or thereabouts to join others to form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“Note, however, that on each of these occasions he returned to the PDP.

“Now, whether he is planning to leave to join others or he wants others to come join us to beat the APC rigging machine in 2027, only he can explain. “For now, from my interactions with members of his team, one thing is clear, this time around, Atiku’s move is a strategic step towards unifying opposition forces against the ruling APC.

‘Significant shift’

“His announcement of the formation of a coalition signals a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape, as opposition leaders seek to present a united front against the current administration.

“The proposed coalition is expected to bring together key political parties and stakeholders, including prominent figures like Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

“It’s worth noting that Atiku’s decision might not be universally accepted within the PDP, as some members may have different opinions on the best strategy to challenge the APC in 2027.

“Nevertheless, Atiku’s move demonstrates his commitment to opposing the current administration and his willingness to work with other opposition parties to achieve this goal.”

Identity

The party chieftain further explained that a majority of leaders and members of the PDP are resolute in their desire to ensure that the party retains its identity.

According to him, a former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, spoke the minds of most leaders and members of the PDP when he dismissed El-Rufai’s call to dump the party and join the SDP.

Lamido said in an interview, “The party we formed, the PDP, is the one that gave birth to El-Rufai. You’re not enough to make us leave the PDP.

“He (El-Rufai) once said that there are no elders in Nigerian politics, but now he is calling on us to join him in the SDP.”

Lamido equally questioned El-Rufai’s motive for dumping the APC for the SDP and his motivation for seeking power.

“Leadership is done with patience and vision, and doing things for the peace of the followers and the country as a whole”, he said.

While restating his loyalty to the PDP, Lamido said the party which he helped to form hasn’t done anything wrong to warrant him leaving to join another.

His views resonated with another leader and foundation member of the PDP, Chief Bode George, who has told whoever cares to listen that he is in the PDP to stay.

Just two years after producing a miraculous sprint at the finish line to win Rivers State in the 2023 presidential election, the camp of President Bola Tinubu has commenced the race for 2027, opposition elements are alleging.

The imposition of a state of emergency with the suspension of Governor Simi Fubara is central to the plot to push Tinubu ahead in the 2027 contest, according to his critics. That claim is, however, countered by insiders in Tinubu’s camp who allege a plot by Fubara to fund the opposition to Tinubu towards the 2027 presidential election.

Whatever, both supporters and critics of the state of emergency insinuate money and politics as critical elements for the imposition of the state of emergency.

The huge pile of cash available to Rivers State both from the Federation Account and from internally generated sources, it is believed, is the pursuit of the political actors now scambling for Rivers State.

Sunday Vanguard reports that governors of Rivers State have, since the advent of the Fourth Republic, been fingered in funding presidential election campaigns either for themselves or for their associates.

Former Governor Peter Odili, just before the 2007 presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had so much muscled himself into the leading aspirant with support across the country.

Indeed, by the eve of the PDP presidential primary, the Odili Campaign had reportedly taken over all the major hotels in Abuja ready to move in delegates until top officials of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration descended on him.

Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, at the end of his two terms as governor, did not go for the ultimate prize, but allegedly backed General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) who eventually won the ticket and the main election.

Mr Nyesom Wike, who succeeded Amaechi, went for the prize himself and lost the PDP ticket mainly because of the gang-up between then-Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
He subsequently went on to back Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who won the election.

Control

So, ahead of the 2027 elections, eyes had turned towards Rivers with the prospects of having the political actors in control of the state play a role in funding the 2027 election.

Though Fubara, who is in the PDP, had, at various times, declared his support for a second term for Tinubu, his unceremonious fallout with his political godfather, Wike, had put him under suspicion.

The suspicion was further fueled by what some alleged to be intelligence linking Fubara to the opposition to Tinubu in 2027.

However, a source close to Atiku, one of the leading opposition leaders, flatly claimed ignorance of such a claim.

Tinubu had, in justifying the decision on emergency rule, accused Fubara of sympathizing with militants and others who had become passionate in their support for the governor.

The action was inevitably triggered by two bomb blasts that occurred on Monday and on Tuesday.

Decision

Sunday Vanguard gathered that the decision to impose a state of emergency had, however, been taken for some time and was a fact known to a few presidential aides and associates of a very powerful minister with interests in Rivers State.

“Sometime is going to happen very soon before the end of next week,” one of them was heard saying the week before.

However, pushing through the idea of the state of emergency was one that even administration officials knew was not going to be an easy task.

It was especially so given the fact that Tinubu had, in the past, actually opposed state of emergency when the Goodluck Jonathan administration declared same in three North-East states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
However, for those determined to get rid of Fubara, nothing was especially too much to sacrifice to achieve the aim.

Sunday Vanguard reports that Abuja has been saturated with allegations of lawmakers being compromised with loads of money in foreign currency for the purpose of winning support.

Lawmakers have been quoted as claiming that they got the kind of money that they could not reject.

Opportunity

According to some critics, the ongoing Muslim fast became an opportunity for the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to mobilise senators.

The Tuesday the proclamation was made, Akpabio had gathered senators to break the Islamic fast with him.
Sources claimed that as they left, they allegedly received $5,000 each.

The following day, Wednesday, on the eve of the consideration of the fast, the senators who also came to break fast were allegedly packaged with $10,000 each.

However, Akpabio’s spokesman, Hon Eseme Eyiboh, strongly denied the claims telling Sunday Vanguard that the rumour was another bid by critics of the Senate President to tarnish his image.

“On the issue of the dollars, he is giving the money for what? I am aware of the breaking of the fast but I can tell you I am not aware and it is not true of the dollars, whether $5,000 or $10,000, people are just conjuring it to be able to give flavour to their malice and hate campaign”, Eyiboh said.
“People are just conjuring the story of the $5,000, $10,000 to add flavour to their malice and hate campaign. He has been doing it. He did it last year, so why is this one associated with money”.

Fallouts

Whatever, the fallouts of the controversies surrounding the passage of the proclamation has put two Labour Party senators who partook in the breaking of fast under the spotlight.

Senator Victor Umeh, who had in the past defended some of the controversial actions of the Senate under Akpabio, and Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Public Petition, are two senators in Labour Party that have now come under the spotlight.

The two, who are Christians, are being asked to explain their presence at the breaking of the Islamic fast hosted by Akpabio for Muslim senators.

The two have been challenged to name any other Labour senator that was present.

Engr. Chukwuebuka Ekpechi, speaking on behalf of Concerned Anambra Central Stakeholders, while putting their senator to task over his presence at the Muslim breaking of fast at the Senate President’s Guest House in Maitama, Abuja, said: “Let Senator Victor Umeh, who has admitted that he went to IFTAR PRAYER (breaking of Fasting for Muslims) to pray for peace in Rivers … mention the names of other Labour Party senators present at Senate President’s Guest House on Tuesday night where he said his ‘prayer’.

“He should be free to mention their names as he claimed that other Labour Party senators were present on Tuesday.”

Sunday Vanguard reports that a number of other Labour Party senators are miffed by the alleged attempt by Umeh to associate other Labour Party senators as having been present at the breaking of fast at Akpabio’s Guest House where alleged mobilisation for passing the state of emergency proclamation was said to have been done.

Hajiya Sarafa’u Umaru, the mother of Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State, has passed away at the age of 93.

Her death was announced on Sunday, March 23, 2025, in a statement by Ibrahim Kaula-Mohammed, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary.

The statement read in part, “With profound sadness, the Government of Katsina State announces the passing of Hajiya Safara’u Umaru Baribari, the beloved mother of Gov. Dikko Radda.

“Hajiya Safara’u departed this world last night at the blessed age of 93.

“She was a woman of remarkable strength and dignity with wisdom flowed from decades of lived experience.”

Kaula-Mohammed said the late Hajiya Safara’u nurtured generations of leaders and community pillars, some of whom include the state governor, Hajiya Hauwa Umar-Radda, former wife of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua and the current head of Radda village.

“Her children include the current Village Head of Radda, Alhaji Kabir Umar-Radda, and Hajiya Hauwa Umar-Radda, former wife of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua.

“A true Fulani matriarch, Hajiya Safara’u leaves behind a legacy that reaches far beyond her immediate family.

“Her values of integrity, perseverance, and community service continue to inspire all who knew her,” he said.

The governor’s aide said the late matriarch would be laid to rest in Radda village by 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Former House of Representatives member for Kazaure/Roni /Gwiwa/Yankashi Constituency, Gudaji Kazaure, has said he visited Atiku Abubakar to show support for his plan to rescue the country.

Naija News reports that Kazaure, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain from Jigawa State, disclosed that his visit to the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate followed a meeting held by Northern elders.

Kazaure stated this on Saturday when he paid a visit to Atiku, with some Northern politicians.

He said most of the elected people have abandoned the electorates and what their assignments were.

The former Chairman of the House Committee Political Parties Matters added that the current administration has also failed to fight corruption affecting the country.

His words: “I visited our father, Atiku Abubakar. I visited him because of the Nigerian problem we are facing now. Politically, all the Northern elders and leaders, we gathered and had a meeting before meeting him. So that let all our politicians come together to find a lasting solution. Because most of our elected people, they abandoned us, they abandoned all what we are trying to make this country great.

“Many of our problems that we already talked about or we reviewed in the previous administration, none of it was executed. We have nobody in this country that will say we didn’t expose corruption, we didn’t talk about corruption. And this government promised to continue investigating what will be in the future. And up to now, not enough. Nobody invited me, nobody called me, nobody knew whether I am existing or not.

“So that is why we cooperate to call all our patriotic politicians to come and join one way. And we are here waiting for the instruction of the Northern Nigeria and the Nigerian in general, those who are patriotic and looking for a Nigerian progress. We are ready to follow wherever they carry us. We are ready to go. We don’t care which any party. We are here for the main project of how to save the country. So wherever our elders carry us, we are ready to follow them. This is the reason I visited my father to come and do greeting to him. And he received me with respect, like as a son, and I am grateful for what he said, because he is not thinking for himself.

“He is thinking for Nigerian people. And whoever thinks for Nigerian people, he is the person that we are supposed to put him on the front. Because Nigerian people first. Nigerian people second. Nigerian people third. And we are ready to serve the country in one way or the other. So this journey of all our political elders, we are ready for them to show us where we are going to. And we are ready to follow, inshallah (sic).”