Television Nigerian

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has blasted his detractors inside the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claiming that some who had previously accused him of being an employee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had since joined the ruling party.

Wike acknowledged his pleasure with recent political alignments while speaking on Wednesday at the flag-off of a road project in Abuja. He also hinted that he will soon give Nigerians a detailed update on current happenings.

“I’m thrilled, but I’ll be speaking to Nigerians soon,” Wike stated. “I have been observing social media and television every day. Those who said that I was working for the APC and that I wanted to subvert their party (the PDP) are now all members of the APC. That means they should give me credit for working toward their goal if it is true. Therefore, I deserve praise for my excellent work on their behalf.

The FCT minister, a former PDP governor of Rivers State for two terms, stated that politics calls for maturity and prudence while emphasizing that he is still committed to his responsibilities in the FCT.

“I have stated that politics is for the developed. Politics requires extreme caution,” he continued.

Wike’s comments were made in the midst of several high-profile PDP to APC resignations.

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri announced his departure from the PDP on Wednesday, while Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah formally joined the APC on Tuesday.

The 2027 presidential election, according to Dele Momodu, a member of the opposition coalition, is an ethnic race.

He claimed that the only people who could cast opposition ballots were Mohammed Sanusi, Kano Emir, Nasir El-Rufai, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aminu Tambuwal, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Adding that he is a Democrat and does not fear robust electoral competition, he stated that elections are a game of numbers.

All efforts to make Nigeria a one-party state should be opposed, Momodu stated in a statement via 𝕏.

El-Rufai, Tambuwal, Kwankwaso, Atiku, and possibly Emir Sanusi (should he choose to leave his status as a monarch to enter politics) are the only candidates who can garner votes for the opposition in the 2027 presidential election, he said.

Since the main opposition groupings can only confirm popularity by contest or consensus, the Southern candidates should not be disqualified as long as they are prepared for a primary.

“Everything should be done to prevent a monarchical or one-party state.”

In order to confront President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, Momodu also called on opposition parties to band together and use what he called the “ethnic and religious cards.”

He said that the current wave of PDP governors leaving the party, including as Peter Mbah of Enugu and Douye Diri of Bayelsa, had further cemented the ruling All Progressives Congress’s (APC) hold.

He asserts that Nigeria is perilously near to becoming a one-party state as the APC already controls both the legislative and executive branches.

According to human rights activist Deji Adeyanju, he is not concerned about the ₦1.5 billion lawsuit that Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi brought against him in 2023.

Adeyanju was accused by Peter Obi of making defamatory, scandalous, malicious, irresponsible, unsubstantiated, and unfounded remarks against him on social media, according to reports.

Obi is requesting that the state high court in Onitsha, Anambra, force Adeyanju to write an unqualified apology to him in three national publications and on social media as part of the lawsuit.

A portion of the court documents states, “AN ORDER compelling the Defendant to immediately retract and delete from all his social media platforms, including but not limited to his “X” handle @adeyanjudeji, his verified Facebook account “Adeyanju Deji,” Instagram account @AdeyanjuDeji, and any other online platforms or sites, all false and malicious publications describing the Plaintiff with derogatory labels (such as “leader of a mob,” “religious bigot,” “fraud,” “scum,” “political fraud,” and “political prostitute”), along with allegations of financial misconduct, dishonesty, or abuse of office, which have harmed the Plaintiff’s personal, political, and professional reputation.”

In reaction, Adeyanju stated in a post on 𝕏 on Wednesday that he is prepared to demonstrate in court that Peter Obi is not just dishonest but also a fraud and a bigot.

“At last, I’ve been sued by Peter Obi,” he wrote. In fact, I’m glad and grateful that he didn’t back down in the end. Even though he is virtually always in Abuja, where I live, it’s interesting that he pulled me all the way to Anambra State. We move, though, so don’t shake. In court, I will demonstrate Peter Obi’s corruption, bigotry, and deceit. I swear, you will all be entertained.

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, has backed activist Omoyele Sowore’s demand for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the imprisoned Indigenous People of Biafra leader.

On Wednesday, while visiting LEA Primary School in Kapwa, Abuja, Obi said the detention was unimportant.

He restated his stance that the only long-term way to quell separatist agitations is through dialogue rather than detention.

When media questioned Obi about his stance on Sowore’s call for Kanu’s release, he responded, “I’ve always been consistent on Nnamdi Kanu’s situation.” “His arrest was unnecessary in the first place,” Obi stated. Additionally, I’ve always stated that I will speak with, negotiate with, and consult with anyone who is agitated. I made it clear, and I still stand by it.

Obi praised Sowore and those advocating for Kanu’s release, emphasizing that the solution to such problems was peaceful communication.

“Those who are genuinely attempting to do or say what we have been saying for a long time have my gratitude. Click here to see what I said in 2020, 2022, and even 2024. Since it has gone to court, the guidelines ought to be adhered to by all agitators in the country, not just Nnamdi Kanu,” he continued.

“There’s nothing wrong with someone getting upset or suggesting that we talk to them. And let’s abide by the guidelines in whatever we do with them. I therefore want to congratulate the organizers and everyone who is taking part.

Days before to Obi’s comments, Sowore, the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress for 2023, declared that he will spearhead a statewide demonstration in Abuja on October 20 with the hashtag #FreeNnamdiKanuNow.

The claim that the cost of the Lagos-Calabar coastal route has increased has been refuted, according to Phrank Shaibu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s Special Assistant on Public Communication.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Shaibu requested that the Federal Government release all contractual documents, submit the project to an impartial value-for-money audit, and halt further payments.

“When the Tinubu administration unveiled the Lagos–Calabar coastal highway project, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar expressed concern that the project’s cost had been exaggerated to an absurd N8 billion per kilometer,” the statement adds.

“The claim was rejected at the time by Works Minister David Umahi, who insisted in a 2024 interview that “you will see that our cost is N4 billion instead of the N8 billion alleged by the former vice president.”

But now the same minister has changed his mind and acknowledged that the true cost is about N8 billion per kilogram, which is exactly what Atiku forewarned Nigerians of.

He went on to say, “This revelation not only supports the former vice president’s viewpoint, but it also reveals the Tinubu administration’s lack of openness in overseeing one of the most costly infrastructure projects in Nigerian history.

In the past, Atiku had questioned the coastal highway’s financing methodology and cost structure, calling it opaque, exaggerated, and dubious in its design to serve special interests rather than the Nigerian people.

Now, even by the minister’s own estimation, the Federal Government’s commitment amounts to only 15% to 30% of the project’s overall cost, meaning the contractor would presumably be responsible for sourcing the majority of the estimated $11 billion. This begs the important question: Who are the real funders? Under what sovereign assurances is this arrangement based? In what way did a project that seemed cost-effective at first inflate to Atiku’s estimated figure?

This development supports Atiku Abubakar’s insistence that all significant public projects must adhere to due procedure, competitive bidding, and openness. Openness, not contradictions and covert transactions, is what Nigerians deserve.

“Once more, Atiku has shown himself to be a statesman who speaks truth to power—out of patriotism, not politics. Every inflated contract, he realizes, is a steal from the Nigerian people.

As a result, we urge the Tinubu administration to: Make the entire contract public, including the financing terms and counterparty obligations; have the project undergo an independent value-for-money audit; and halt further payments until Nigerians are convinced that the project is truly in the country’s best interests.

“History has upheld Atiku Abubakar once more, and the Nigerian people are watching.”

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Apo, has granted a lawyer, Mrs Bukola Ibitade, bail.

Ibitade and her boss, Barrister Victor Giwa, were accused by the police to have forged a letterhead, belonging to a renown Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Awa Kalu.

But Awa Kalu, in a letter to the Inspector General of Police, Mr Katode. Egebtolun, put a lie to the allegation of the police against Ibitade amd Giwa.

Despite the letter of Prof. Awa Kalu to the Inspector-General of Police, formally distancing himself from the allegation of forgery and impersonation against Giwa and Ibitade, the police have gone ahead to press charge against Giwa.

Chief Kalu, in a letter to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, had said his letterhead was never forged and that he had not at anytime lodged any complaint to the police about forgery of his document.

Professor Kalu, in a letter dated May 30, 2025, addressed to the Inspector General of Police, clarified that he neither filed a complaint nor reported Mr. Giwa for allegedly forging his firm’s letterhead.

The letter comes in response to Charge No. CR/150/25 instituted by the police, in which Giwa and Ibitade were accused of forging the official letterhead of “Awa U. Kalu (SAN) and Partners” — formerly “Awa U. Kalu (SAN) and Associates” — to communicate with the Attorney General of the Federation.

Prof. Kalu wrote, “I wish to inform you that the internet is agog with news that a charge is preferred against the above named gentleman, indicating that he forged my official headed paper.

“Please note that I have neither filed a complaint nor have I incidented a report at any Police Station in Nigeria indicating that Mr. Victor Giwa forged my official headed paper.”

During the hearing of the motion for bail for Ibitade, her Counsel, Ogbu Aboje,
urged the court to grant her bail on liberal term.

According to him, the defendant is a lawyer and cannot jump bail.

“We have a motion dated October 8, 2025 and filed on the same date. The motion seeks an order to admit the 2nd defendant to bail pending the hearing and determination of the case.

“We are seeking an order of the court to admit the second defendant to bail on very liberal condition. We urge the court to dismiss the counter affidavit of the prosecution and grant them defendant bail”, he argued.

The prosecution, Mr Eristo Asaph, prayed the court to turn down the motion for bail.

He submitted, “We are opposing the bail application and have filed counter affidavit deposed to, by one Clement Akpan and the counter affidavit is accompanied by one exhibit marked “NPF A” and it’s also accompanied by a written address. We urge my lord to refuse the application”.

In his ruling, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie, granted Ibitade bail in the sum of N30m with two sureties who must be level 16 civil servants.

According to the court, the sureties must be able to produce the defendant at every sitting of the. Court amd must have a valid ID card.

The clarification by Prof. Kalu significantly undercuts the foundation of the forgery allegation, which reportedly hinges on the unauthorised use of his firm’s name and letterhead.

His statement meant there was no formal accusation from the primary party whose identity was allegedly misused.

Also, Victor Giwa had in a letter to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, dated 23rd May, 2025, asked the IGP to probe the allegation of financial inducement to charge him to court.

Specifically, Giwa called Mr Egbetokun, to investigate the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, legal services of the Nigeria Police, Chiozoba Oyakhire Ehiede, AIG Aina Emmanuel and Ms Asabe Waziri, over allegation of frivolous xharge filed against him and one other.

He called on the IGP to probe the connection between the AIG, Legal Services of the Nigeria Police and Asabe Waziri, a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited.

Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, has praised Peter Mbah, the governor of Enugu State, for switching from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mbah reportedly declared his defection to the APC on Tuesday, stating that Enugu needed to join with the federal administration for quicker growth.

In a tweet on his 𝕏 handle on Tuesday, Keyamo responded to the news by revealing that he warned the governor during a visit to Enugu a few months ago that it would be a miracle for anyone to defeat him in future elections.

APC was his natural home, he said, and he commended Mbah for his progressive agenda.

“I said it would be a miracle for anyone to beat you in future elections when I came to Enugu a few months ago to launch Enugu Air,” Keyamo wrote. We are grateful that you have teamed up with President Bola Tinubu to further the advancement and solidarity of Enugu and the Southeast.

The minister assured Mbah that the decision will increase his support base in the state and further referred to him as the “undisputed leader of Enugu APC”.

Political strategist Prof. Udenta Udenta has called the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defecting to the All Progressives Congress a show of fear and lack of courage.

When answering questions during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, Udenta reportedly said this.

Dismissing claims that the PDP was disintegrating, the Alliance for Democracy’s (AD) founding national secretary emphasized that the party is still powerful and politically active.

He insisted that rather than individual politicians leaving the party for personal gain, the party’s identity and power were derived from the people.

Udenta added that he had previously based his assessment of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s possible comeback to politics only on political factors and not on insider knowledge.

“When I talked about the former president’s prospects, I didn’t speak as a spokesperson,” he said.

He has not disclosed the election’s political background. Even his membership in the party is merely for him to explain its standing.

“If you choose to use the PDP as a platform, the party is thriving despite a change in the upper echelons of the political elite, the governors, who for whatever reason decide to say, okay, we’re going to call it a day, we’re going to join the APC where we think their gluttony will power our own ambition.”