The spokesman of the Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State, Chibuike Ikenga, says the African Democratic Congress, ADC, is panicking over the reconciliation between the state governor, Sim Fubara, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Ikenga made the claim on Thursday during an interview on Arise Television.

This comes after Wike and his supporters held a four-hour meeting with Governor Fubara in Port Harcourt.

“The ADC is troubled because they do not have the numbers we have. The tantrums from yesterday were triggered by the leader of the Rainbow Coalition, Wike.

“Wike has continued to buil the team in Rivers State and has met with the governor and his team, with our APC candidate also present.

“This has thrown the ADC into disarray because they did not want Wike to reconcile with the governor.

“So, because of that, they have come out to say that they are out to stop a state capture. I can tell you that the state capture was initiated by the boss of the ADC in Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi,” he said.

The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has raised the alarm over an alleged attack on his wife, Mrs Tawakalitu Alli.

Alli also disclosed that some hoodlums attacked the party’s Oyo South senatorial candidate, Remi Oseni, and its House of Representatives candidate for the Ibadan North-West/Ibadan South-West Federal Constituency, Hon. Folake Olunloyo-Oshinlowo.

Alli made the claim in a statement signed by the director of his campaign organisation, Bisi Oladele,

He explained that some hoodlums attacked his wife during a programme at Ibikunle Palace in Ibadan on Wednesday.

He added that some miscreants also attacked Oseni and Olunloyo-Oshinlowo at separate locations in Ibadan on Wednesday.

Reacting, Alli described the attacks as unwarranted and barbaric.

“As the chief security officer of the state, Governor Makinde carries the responsibility to protect all residents, irrespective of their political leanings.

“The SSACO calls on security agencies to fish out these perpetrators of violence and bring them to book in order to serve justice to the victims and also serve as a deterrent to violence in our dear state,” he said.

Kebbi State governor, Nasir Idris, has promised additional security measures in Sakaba Local Government Area and the Zuru Emirate following recent attacks that forced residents to flee their communities.

The governor gave the assurance during a visit to internally displaced persons, IDPs, in Sakaba, where he said the government would intensify security operations to enable them to return home safely.

Idris disclosed that the state government had ordered additional security equipment, including armoured vehicles, for deployment to areas facing security challenges.

He also said the government was upgrading the Zuru Barracks to accommodate more security personnel and would provide operational vehicles and other equipment to strengthen their capacity.

The governor said his administration would continue to work with the federal and local governments to restore peace and protect lives and property.

“Where the Federal Government’s reach falls short, we will step in on behalf of everyone so that our people can sleep with both eyes closed and farmers can return to their fields without fear,” he said.

Idris also pledged further relief assistance for the displaced residents as security agencies continued efforts to restore normalcy in affected communities.

He urged residents to support security agencies, remain law-abiding and avoid actions or statements that could create fear or undermine security operations. He also appealed to political actors not to politicise the security situation.

The Emir of Zuru, Sanusi Mikailu Sami, and the Chairman of Sakaba Local Government Area, Dauda Muhammad Sakaba, called for collective efforts to restore peace and security in the area.

Former Premier League player, Dion Dublin has urged Manchester United to pursue Harry Kane’s return to England, regardless of the financial cost.

Speaking to BetVictor, as reported by Metro UK, the football pundit emphasised that the England captain would provide the Old Trafford club with much-needed stability.

Kane has delivered exceptional performances for Bayern Munich since his transfer from Tottenham Hotspur to the German club in 2023.

He has scored 152 goals in 154 appearances for the German side, including six goals in seven appearances during the opening phase of the current season.

The 33-year-old is in the final year of his Bayern contract, with indications suggesting that he intends to extend his deal with the club.

Dion Dublin stated: “Even at 33, 34 or 35, I’d still sign Harry for a year or two because he has an exceptional ability to find advantageous positions.

“When you deliver the ball to him, he requires minimal movement. He demonstrates considerable tactical intelligence. I would sign Harry Kane for Manchester United right now.

“Harry Kane could feature for any Premier League club. Any Premier League club, without exception. Every club in the Premier League would welcome him at present, without question.

“Even if he commits to a new contract there, offer them £70 million or £80 million, or whatever sum they demand, because acquiring goals is essential,” he said.

Manchester United reportedly considered signing Kane in 2023 before ultimately deciding to recruit Rasmus Højlund instead.

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Kebbi State Command, has handed over agricultural chemicals worth N223.54 million to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, in Birnin Kebbi.

The Area Controller of Customs, Mahmoud Matawale Ibrahim, disclosed this during a press conference at the command headquarters in Birnin Kebbi.

Ibrahim said the seized products included 500 cartons of Rezim Herbicide, 708 cartons of Gramosun, 1,291 cartons of Sun-Paraquat, 1,990 cartons of Gbeledzo and 1,620 cartons of Gramostrong.

He said the products were intercepted at various locations within the Kebbi Area Command’s jurisdiction.

The command also handed over cannabis sativa valued at N2.52 million to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

It further transferred 37 rounds of AK-47 ammunition and 12 live cartridges for pump-action firearms to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, NCCSALW.

The customs controller said the seizures resulted from the vigilance of officers and men of the command.

He stressed the importance of collaboration among the Customs Service, NAFDAC, NDLEA and NCCSALW in preventing prohibited and controlled substances, illicit drugs and unauthorised firearms and ammunition from entering distribution channels.

Ibrahim urged importers, distributors and users of agricultural chemicals to comply with regulatory requirements and obtain the necessary approvals before importing, distributing or using such products.

Members of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Legacy Group from the 21 local government areas of Kebbi State, including the party’s House of Representatives candidate and two State House of Assembly candidates, have defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The defectors were formally received into the APC on Wednesday by Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi.

The defectors were led by the ADC Legacy Group leader, Bala Maga Zuru.

Idris welcomed the new members and assured them of equal treatment within the APC.

He urged them to contribute to the development of the party and the state.

The APC state chairman, Kana-Zuru, also welcomed the defectors, describing their entry as a boost to the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

He urged the new members to remain committed to the party’s constitution and principles.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Maga said the group decided to join the APC after observing the policies and programmes of the Idris administration.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, has defended his FCT counterpart, Nyesom Wike, following rumours of a rift over the Rainbow Coalition.

Umahi said they remained members of the same political family ahead of next year’s polls.

He clarified this on Wednesday in Abuja while interacting with newsmen on the infrastructure projects of the Federal Government.

According to him, there is no political feud between them and Wike, stressing that despite attempts by opponents to portray them as being at loggerheads, their political relationship had remained intact.

“We need Wike as Wike needs us. So, it’s one family. There’s no rift between us,” Umahi said.

This comes following earlier disagreements within the All Progressives Congress, APC, over the Rainbow Coalition, a political platform promoted by Wike to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

The suit seeking the probe of abandoned erosion control projects in different communities in Enugu State is now before the Court of Appeal.

DAILY POST recalls that the Federal High Court in Enugu had, in its judgment, declined to order the Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management Project, NEWMAP, and the Federal Ministry of Environment to make public details of the projects awarded for erosion control in five Enugu communities.

Justice M. T. Segun-Bello, who delivered the judgment, said NEWMAP was a non-juristic person.
A civil rights group, G.A.L Initiative, acting in the interest of the communities, had approached the court, alleging that N60 billion meant for the projects had been diverted.

The affected communities are Onuiyi Gully, Aloruno Gully, Imilike Etiti Gully and Anyazuru Ohom Orba, all in the Enugu North Senatorial Zone of Enugu State.

The spokesperson for G.A.L Initiative, Mr Zekeri Idris Mohammed, has now confirmed that an appeal has been lodged at the Enugu Division of the Court of Appeal.

“We have instructed our lawyer to proceed with the appeal, which he did, and Appeal No. CA/E/127/2027 is now pending for hearing.

“The judgment of the Federal High Court, Enugu, shows that a project body or agency of the government can receive billions of naira for a project and embezzle it on the grounds that it is a non-juristic person.

“All eyes are now on the Court of Appeal, Enugu, for justice,” Mohammed said.

He recalled that the organisation had applied for the release of certified true copies of the contract documents for the projects in respect of the sums of money collected by the agency at its Enugu State Project Office between 2015 and 2023. He said both the agency and the Federal Ministry refused to release them.

This, according to him, necessitated a suit at the Federal High Court in Enugu, seeking an order directing the two bodies to release the CTCs of the contract documents.

“It is disappointing that the Federal High Court 2, Enugu, presided over by Hon. Justice M. T. Segun-Bello, dismissed the applicant’s case on the basis that the Nigerian Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP EIB), which was a Federal Government project management body that collected the huge sums of money from the World Bank-sponsored project through the Federal Ministry of Environment, its superior, is not a juristic person and cannot be sued, while the beneficiary communities are left to suffer from the terrible erosion menace,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the lead lawyer to the appellant, Barr C.I. Odo was, however, optimistic that confidence that “the Appeal Court will right the wrong by ordering the release of the CTC of the public documents to use.”

He added that the case was of public interest.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has condemned the remand of its member, Ani Chidi, by an Enugu court over charges arising from a video of an attack on party members.

The party, in a statement, accused the Enugu State Police Command of targeting Chidi after he recorded and circulated footage of the attack during an NDC meeting in Obuoffia Awkunanaw.

Chidi was arraigned before an Enugu East Magistrate’s Court sitting in Nkwo Nike on three counts bordering on cybercrime and alleged criminal defamation.

According to the charge sheet, the police accused Chidi of publishing the video and allegedly identifying three individuals as members of the group that attacked the NDC meeting.

The NDC, however, faulted the prosecution, alleging that the police had ignored those responsible for the violence and instead pursued the party member who documented the incident.

“It is shameful that the Nigeria Police Force, under the Inspector-General of Police, would ignore the thugs who unleashed violence on our members and instead prosecute a member who recorded the incident,” the party said.

The party further accused the police of using their powers against opposition members and demanded Chidi’s immediate and unconditional release.

“We find this action deeply offensive and call for the immediate and unconditional release of our member,” the NDC said.