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Wike: At the right time, we will know who is in charge of River State
Barrister Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, said today, Saturday, that at the appropriate time, it would be clear who is in charge of politics in River state.
The former governor of River State made the declaration when he visited the National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Victor Giadom.
His visit to the APC chieftain however said speculations of possible political marriage.
Wike arrived Port Harcourt and was hosted by Giadom in Bera, his country home in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.
He expressed happiness to have mended fences with his estranged friend, Giadom, who was Commissioner for Works under former Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Wike was seen in a video boasting that the person in charge would soon be known.
It would be recalled that Wike has been at loggerheads with the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara who was said to have helped to power by the FCT Minister. Fubara served finance commissioner under Wike.
Wike said, “Forget about these hungry noisemakers on the road. When the time comes, we will know who is in charge and who is not in charge. There is a time for everything.
“This is not time for politics. When the time comes, we will know who is who. If you like, abuse me as you want. If you like, employ everybody on social media. I have never bothered myself one day to know who is abusing me.
“Politics will come. We didn’t contest elections based on social media. We spoke to the people; they listened and believed in us”.
Speaking on his visit to Giadom, Wike said he was not in Bera (Giadom’s hometown) for politics, saying his visit should not be misinterpreted.
He stated, “I came here to visit my friend, Giadom. Let nobody misinterpret why I came here. That is why I came with PDP and APC leaders. It is a private visit to my friend”.
Wike further said he is loved and valued by many across the country because he served the people, which is why many times people want to take pictures with him.
On his realignment with Giadom, he said: “Party will come and go and friendship will remain. We have made our mistakes, we are all humans but friendship remains.
“When I was appointed a minister, Victor Giadom led a team to congratulate me. It does not matter where you belong what is important is the interest of Rivers. If you want to be a successful politician, greedy ones will not like you.
“Nobody has done well in politics without enemies. Those who hate you are in the minority. Those who love you are in the majority”.
Wike stated that it was during his tenure as Rivers Governor that people heard much about the state, even as he vowed to continue supporting the Tinubu-led government.
He added, “When I was governor, Nigeria heard about Rivers State. That is what I have always preached. So, nobody should be afraid. I have no regrets when I stood by with my colleagues and friends that the presidency must go to the south.
“There was nothing I was not offered. But I said no. That is why I will continue to support the government of Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu. As I am going back home, I am going with the satisfaction that my friend is back.
“This visit I came today will cause a lot of trouble. Some people will start visiting now. Follow who knows the road. Continue to support Victor and all your leaders who mean well for all of you.
“For the first time in history, Ogoni man is the chairman of works. I am happy that Ledum Mitee is a member of the NNPCL. Let nobody do community problems. When you do that development will not come”.
Speaking earlier, Giadom described Wike’s visit as the homecoming of a brother, a friend and a leader and assured him that they would support a team he would lead in Rivers.
Giadom said, “Today is a homecoming of a brother, a friend and a leader. I stand here on this ground to let you know that we have lived well, paid our dues and contributed to the development of this place.
“Be assured that we will support the team you will lead in Rivers to provide support for our President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the main reason we are all here today. This place nobody can challenge any visitor on this soil. We are in firm control of this place.”
Some of the prominent politicians present were, Senator Barry Mpigi, Senator Allwell Onyeso, Senator Philip Aduda, Chief Dan Orbih, Sen Samuel Anyanwu Amb. Desmond Akawor
Senator Sandy Onoh, Ambassador Maurine Tamuno, Felix Obuah, RT Hon Dumnamene Dekor, Hon Felix Nweke, Hon Emma Deeyah and Hon Igo Aguma, among many others.
The legal team of suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, say they are ready with factil evidence to defend her in court.
The team received a formal summons in the case filed against her by the Federal Government at the Federal Capital Territory High Court last week.
On Friday, May 16, 2025, the Federal Government filed the suit, marked CR/297/25, over alleged defamatory remarks made during a live appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on April 3, 2025.
The government accused the senator of “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person”, citing Section 391 of the Penal Code, cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990.
Among the witnesses listed to testify during the trial were Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.
Others include Asuquo Ekpenyong, a senator; Sandra Duru; Maya Iliya, investigating police officers; and Abdulhafiz Garba, investigating police officers.
However, in a statement issued Friday night by Dr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa (SAN) on behalf of the legal team, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyers confirmed receipt of the formal summons and pledged to prepare all “factual and statutory defences” available to the lawmaker during trial.
“At about 2:30pm on Friday, May 23, 2025, within the premises of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, we received the information filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, containing three counts alleging that our client, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, made imputations she had reason to believe would harm the reputation of Senator Godswill Akpabio, President of the 10th Senate,” the statement read.
“We received the said information on her behalf through a letter of authority duly issued and filed in the court’s registry.
“The legal team will fully prepare and present all factual and statutory defences available to our client during the trial.”
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will on Tuesday next week begin the take over of 4,794 properties in Abuja, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headquarters, due to unpaid ground rent.
The PDP headquarters, currently under construction in Abuja’s Central Business District, is among the affected properties, having been revoked in March for several years of unpaid ground rent. The FCTA disclosed that 4,794 titles had been revoked for failure to pay ground rent, with some defaults dating back 43 years.
The affected properties are located in various districts, including Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape.
The defaulters owe over N6.96 billion in ground rent. The FCTA had given a 21-day grace period for owners with debts under 10 years, which has now expired.
The FCTA officials announced that the takeover would begin on Monday, May 26, 2025, with the sealing off and restriction of access to the affected properties.
The Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze emphasized that the revocations were carried out under Section 28(5)(a)(b) of the Land Use Act, which empowers the government to reclaim land when the terms of occupancy are violated.
Two people sustained serious injuries when a training aircraft crash-landed at the Ilorin International Airport on Friday.
Director of Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, Mrs Bimbo Oladeji, who disclosed this in a statement, said the incident occurred at 17:28 local time on May 23, 2025, during a simulated instrument approach on Runway 05 at Ilorin International Airport.
Oladeji said the aircraft veered off the runway and came to a stop on the grass verge, leaving the two occupants on board injured.
She stated: “Both sustained serious injuries and were swiftly evacuated to a medical facility, coordinated by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA.
“In response, the NSIB Go-Team is currently preparing to depart from Abuja to Ilorin to conduct on-site investigations. The team will secure the site, collect physical evidence, interview witnesses, and retrieve operational data to establish the cause and contributing factors of the incident.”
Quoting the Director General of the NSIB, Captain Alex Badeh Jr., she said “Our thoughts are with the injured, and we commend the swift medical and emergency response. Now, our focus is on understanding exactly what went wrong. Every investigation is an opportunity to improve safety. We are deploying our team to Ilorin to ensure that no detail is overlooked.”
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