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Nwanyanwu dares Wike: Deny you’re not plotting to run against Tinubu in 2027
Dan Nwanyanwu, National Chairman, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has dared Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to publicly deny that he is not gearing up to run against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, threatening to release the dossier he has on the move, should the former Governor of Rivers State accept the challenge.
The challenge came on Monday, on a day Nwanyanwu, who had a fortnight ago confronted the Minister for allegedly sponsoring the political crisis, alerted the world about an alleged threat by those he identified as Wike’s “hit-men” to kill him for daring to expose the plot of their patron, whom he said, was already building his structure for the purpose, including choosing a candidate for the position of Vice President in the said ambition.
“What did I say that angered him? Because I revealed what he has in his heart – that he will run against President Tinubu – which is true. If I lied, you come out and tell Nigerians, don’t mind Dan, he’s a liar. I will not run against Tinubu. Why has he not denied it? You decided to use gestapo tactics as a response. Come and say I lied, I’ll give more information, I have more on that.
“He’ll run against Tinubu. (Let) him com and deny it. Even as I’m talking to you now, vice presidential candidates are being pencilled. I don’t talk anyhow. I know what I’m saying. They’re from the North. Is that your pain? Come and say it’s not true. Then I’ll make references and produce facts. That shouldn’t anger you to the point of taking lives.”
Narrating the incidents leading to the alleged plot of assassination against him, Nwanyanwu, who said some strange men had been trailing him since his first outing over the Rivers issue, told reporters in Abuja that things came to a head on Friday last week at the Transcorp Hotel, in the FCT, where he was eventually physically confronted by the alleged assassin.
Hear him: “I am constrained to bring to the notice of the Nigerian Public the unprovoked open threat to my life by a notorious Agent of the Former Governor of Rivers State and now Minister of Federal Capital Territory FCT Chief Nyesom Wike, one Mr. Moses Emmanuel.
“This bloodthirsty killer brazenly confronted me at the Pastry shop, Transcorp Hilton where I was having snacks and coffee with my friend Alhaji Aliyu.
He said he wanted to speak with me. Not having known him before now, I demanded to know what he wanted to speak to me about, he said he would like to speak with me and I offered him a seat to sit down.
He introduced himself as a brother to Chief Nyeson Wike, and began to threaten my life making reference to a television interview I granted where I expressed my personal views on the avoidable crises in Rivers State which was being orchestrated and fueled by the followers of the former Governor against the incumbent Governor Chief Simi Fubara. Most well-meaning Nigerians and leaders have at various times since the Rivers’ crises began, expressed their views, concerns about the threatening explosion in that critical State of Nigeria.
“I have in all my political life intervened to the best of my ability on any issue that is likely to destabilise our fledgling democracy. I have never sat on the fence where issues of national interest are concerned. In that manner I raised my voice as I have always done in other issues that bother on national unity and stability.
I expressed my concern on Chief Wike’s interference and meddlesomeness in the governance of Rivers State, a state he governed for eight uninterrupted years.
“I was concerned that if law and order break down in Rivers State, its impact on the already poor economic situation in the country will further deteriorate and may snowball into a larger, bigger conflagration in a country that is already restive with many unmanageable flashpoints. No patriotic political leader will see such impending danger and not stand boldly and forthrightly to be counted among the peace makers to douse the tension in Rivers State.
“It is this interview that I granted to express my personal views and suggestions on this burning issue of Rivers State crises that apparently provoked Chief Nyeson Wike to dispatch his hitman to threaten me with elimination if I ventured to speak again on the matter of Rivers State.
“This wild dog became so vociferous in his threat that others heard him and this attracted the Security Agencies in Transcorp Hilton. They took him to the Hotel basement of the hotel where he was interrogated and the colleague with him who did not disclose his identity, told him to call the Minister and he made frantic calls and spoke to somebody.
“Shortly after that call, he made another call that someone requested to speak to me and I refused to take the call. Everyone around pleaded to me to speak with the caller and I took the call and it turned out to be Chief Chukwu Emeka Woke who was Chief Nyeson Wike’s, Chief of staff when he was Governor and his close aide that holds appointment in Abuja now.
When he identified himself, I asked him if he and his boss sent their hitmen to come and kill me. His response was in coherent as it was not a clear denial or a clear acceptance.
“The security man who intervened asked me what I would want to do at that point. I told them I would like to press charges for threatening my life in the open.
I believe the hotel of the standard of Transcorp Hilton Hotel must have the footages through their CCTV what I have stated here for the purpose of verification and I also believed that the DSS open a thorough investigation which will verify and corroborate the telephone conversation between me and Chief Chukwuemeka Woke.
“I wish to cease this opportunity to draw the attention of the President, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the involvement of his Minster of the Federal Capital Territory in the threat to my life. I similarly draw the attention of the Inspector General of the Police, Director General of the DSS and the National Security Adviser and the General Public to this ugly situation which if not nipped in the board will degenerate to a point where no Nigerian will be safe anymore to express his opinion on National issues even as the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of Expression as an inalienable right of every Nigerian citizen.
“Should anything happen to me and any member of my family, the security Agencies need not look far as to who did it. Trusting that the President will take this matter seriously, I demand that I am provided with adequate security to protect myself and family, I further demand that Chief Nyeson Wike sign an undertaken that he will be held responsible if anything unwholesome happens to me and my family, henceforth.”
From Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s former President, came a mild rebuke to Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President, who in assessing the quality of his six-year tenure as Nigerian leader, all but dismissed him as “inexperienced.”
Atiku, a guest of Prime Time, a public affairs programme on ARISE NEWS Television, last week, told his host that Jonathan was inexperienced, saying his tenure was marked by notable missteps.
“I know Goodluck Jonathan very well. He is a decent young man, but also inexperienced, and I believe that contributed to his inability to manage the affairs of the country, particularly when he was faced with challenges,” Atiku, currently chasing the number one job the former President exited in 2015 for the seventh time, said.
But in a measured riposte at the 2025 Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria awards ceremony in Abuja on Monday, Jonathan, while acknowledging that he must have made some mistakes, argued that errors were inevitably with human beings as only God could be perfect,
Reacting to Atiku’s remarks, he told his audience: “So not too long ago, a very senior politician said, ‘Oh, Jonathan was too young and probably that’s why he made mistakes.’
“If I made mistakes, yes, nobody who becomes a governor or a president will say you did not make mistakes. Even when you promote yourself to the level of a god, you become a deity.
“All human beings must make mistakes. I became president in 2010 at the age of 53. I left in 2015 at the age of 58, and they say I was too young. Must it have been 100 years before I ran the affairs of the state?
“I’m talking to diplomats, so I can say that during my period, I knew what I did for us to appear in the UN Security Council two times… If I were so naive, I don’t think I would have been able to navigate through that process.”
Jonathan also spoke on regional affairs, warning that political instability remains a major obstacle to economic growth across West Africa. He stressed that without stable governance systems, meaningful development in the sub-region would remain elusive.
“We cannot progress economically if we are very unstable societies politically,” he said.
Jonathan noted that while the founders of ECOWAS envisioned strong economic cooperation, persistent political crises have hindered progress, particularly in enforcing democratic standards among member states.
“That means that ECOWAS must interfere with the internal affairs of the states, and the issue of sovereignty becomes a problem,” he said.
Jonathan urged leaders in the region to work collectively towards stability, saying, “The heads of states of ECOWAS must continue to work together and agree on concrete terms and make sure that the sub-region is politically stable.”
He added that economic integration efforts would falter without solid democratic institutions and called on Nigerian diplomats to properly document foreign policy experiences for future leaders.
Paying tribute to ECOWAS founders, including former Head of State Yakubu Gowon, Jonathan described the creation of the bloc in 1975 as a bold and necessary step toward regional unity and economic integration.
Gowon, who was also honoured at the event, recounted the origins of ECOWAS, linking its formation to post-war diplomatic engagements across West Africa.
According to him, “It was as a result of the various efforts of all Nigerians when we went through a very difficult period, and I had to go to the various countries to say thank you.”
He said discussions with regional leaders at the time led to a shared vision for broader cooperation.
“Why don’t we also think about having something that we can at least have in agreement for all of us when we are working together?” he said.
Gowon emphasised that ECOWAS was the product of collective effort rather than individual ambition, crediting government institutions and civil servants for its success.
“This would not have been possible without the support of all the staff of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Economic Development,” he stated.
He added that the recognition bestowed on him should be shared widely.
“The honour that is being done to me today should really go back to all the staff that worked so hard to make sure that this became a reality,” he said.
Also speaking, the President of the Association of Retired Career Ambassadors of Nigeria, Joe Keshi, highlighted the importance of honouring excellence in diplomacy, noting that the awards celebrate dedication and service to Nigeria and the continent.
“Diplomacy is one profession where success is often invisible, reflected not by news coverage, but by maintained stability, prevented conflicts, cultivated partnerships,” he said.
Keshi noted that the event coincides with the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS, describing the organisation as “a bold experiment in regionalism,” and urged diplomats to adapt to evolving global challenges.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waheed Shaibu, also praised Gowon, describing him as a symbol of national unity and visionary leadership.
He said the recognition offers a chance to reflect on a legacy “defined by visionary leadership, courage, and unwavering commitment to the unity, stability, peace, and progress” of Nigeria.
Shaibu added that Gowon’s leadership reflected “patriotism, resilience, and a profound sense of duty,” while commending ARCAN for its continued contribution to diplomatic discourse and Nigeria’s global engagement.
After months of official hiatus, the Federal Government, on Tuesday finally got on the way with the trial of those fingered in the alleged plot to oust President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through a coup, including Timipre Sylva, former Minister of State for Petroleum.
The move, which apart from the former Governor of Bayelsa State, came with the filing of a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court, Abuja, against the alleged plotters including Mohammed Ibrahim Gana, a retired General in the Nigerian Army, Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, a retired Naval Captain, Ahmed Ibrahim, a serving police inspector, Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.
Sylva, whose name surfaced as one of the plotters when the news first broke and believed to be the major financier of what would have led to another military government in Nigeria after the last ended in 1999, was listed as being at large – on the run.
The charge, filed on Monday by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), accuses the defendants of offences ranging from alleged treason and terrorism to failure to disclose security intelligence and money laundering linked to terrorism financing.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants conspired in 2025 “to levy war against the state to overpower the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, an offence punishable under Section 37(2) of the Criminal Code.
The Federal Government further alleged that the defendants had prior knowledge of a planned treasonable act involving one Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji and others, but failed to alert authorities.
Furthermore, the defendants were also accused, according to the charge, of, while “knowing that a treasonable act was intended to be committed, did not give information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President… or a peace officer.”
They were also accused of failing to take preventive steps and “did not use any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence”.
Beyond treason, the defendants are facing terrorism-related charges of conspiracy under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as they “conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism in the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim and Zekeri Umoru were specifically accused of attending meetings linked to the alleged plot “in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously destabilise the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The charge also accused the defendants of providing support for terrorism, alleging that they “knowingly and indirectly rendered support” to facilitate acts of terror.
The prosecution alleged deliberate suppression of intelligence, stating that the defendants “had information which would be of material assistance in preventing the commission of the act of terrorism but failed to disclose the information to the relevant agency as soon as practicable”.
Financially, several defendants were accused of handling funds linked to terrorism financing, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Bukar Kashim Goni allegedly “indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50,000,000, which forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: terrorism financing”, while Abdulkadir Sani allegedly retained N2m from a similar source.
According to the charge, Zekeri Umoru “without going through a financial institution accepted a cash payment of the sum of N10,000,000″ and also retained an additional N8.8m suspected to be proceeds of terrorism financing.
Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim was also accused of taking possession of “the sum of N1,000,000, being part of proceeds of terrorism financing”.
Alleged Coup Plot, Protests
After the Federal Government cancelled the parade to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary on October 1, 2025, reports had claimed that the move was linked to an alleged coup attempt.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) dismissed the claims, however, saying the parade cancellation had nothing to do with the alleged coup attempt.
In January 2026, the DHQ confirmed that there was an attempt to overthrow President Tinubu.
The DHQ Director of Defence Information, Samaila Uba, said investigations showed some military personnel were involved in the alleged coup plot.
According to Uba, the officers have been detained and would be arraigned before military judicial panels.
Last month, families of the military officers detained over the alleged coup plot appealed to Tinubu to allow the suspects to be tried in an open court.
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore protested alongside the detained officers’ families. They also asked for access to the alleged coup plotters.
From the seat of the Presidency, came what indicates a clear and open support for the camp in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) fighting David Mark, National Secretary and Rauf Aregbesola, National Secretary, respectively.
The signal came from Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to President Bola Tinubu, who practically threw his weight behind Leke Abejide, one of the arrowheads wedging the war that could see the main opposition party in Nigeria not presenting a candidate for next year’s presidential election.
Against the backdrop of allegations that Aso Rock has been fuelling the various crises in the major political parties, Gbajabiamila, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and a key ally of President Bola Tinubu, all but clearly stoked the fire by egging the Kogi lawmaker on to launch a fiercer onslaught against the Mark leadership.
Urging Abejide, who had sworn that he would do everything to ensure Tinubu’s re-election not to leave the ADC, through which he won his election to the National Assembly in 2023, but to stay back and fight rather than exiting the party, the ex-Speaker praised him for his resilience so far.
Abejide, who on his own, has thrown his weight behind Nafiu Bala, former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, now laying claims to Mark’s position was one of those sacked at the convention organised by the Mark group last week.
But Gbajabiamila, who used the Kogi lawmaker’s birthday celebration on Monday to announce his support publicly, while hailing his political trajectory and resilience, including winning his election under the ADC – a relatively less-fancied platform in 2023.
His words: “For a man to contest in a place like Kogi, under a relatively unknown party, and win back-to-back elections, it tells you who that man is. You did not only secure re-election but also helped expand the party’s influence by bringing in other candidates. You’re a committed party man and a fighter.
“My charge to you is to stay in that same party. Fight them. Scatter them. Hold on to your party. Do not abandon them. We like what you are doing. Hold on to your party. Do not abandon it. Continue what you are doing. Win your election there. Nobody can take your party away from you.”
After the hammer from the Mark group, alongside Kingsley Temitope, Obinna Norman, Kennedy Odiong, and Stella Chukwuma, over the allegation of anti-party activities, Abejide dismissed his sack as null and void, coming from a “suya convention.”
Jonathan to Atiku: I don’t play God *I still achieved, though imperfect
BREAKING: FG opts for open court trial of coup plotters against Tinubu
ADC: Fight, scatter them! *Presidency goads Kogi lawmaker on Mark’s leadership
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