News

Soludo’s media at a glance

Published

1 year ago

May 8, 2025

Whirlwindnews

By Chike Obalum

It is becoming evident that part of Soludo’s problem is his media. Like their principal, members of the Governor’s media team lack discretion and are not media savvy. They write nonsense where sound judgment should prevail.

In an election year when advocacy for re-election of their principal should be their concern, these jumped-up hacks and doomed conformists are trying hard to undo their principal. They seem to have renewed their effort at poking fingers into every eye in the state that sees differently from their principal even if the eye has a better vision.

They are always prodigal in abuse, but exiguous in projecting the image of the government they serve. But it appears that the supposed refined Professor of Economics is enjoying the whole drama. He cares less how low, and to what ridicule, the artillery of abuse has reduced the rating of his government. He possibly has a seamy side which the mindless abuse greatly appeals to.

Very few stakeholders in the state have been spared the vitriol of Soludo’s attack goons. Those who did – and they are few in number- were spared either because they are silent in the face of gross abuse of the process of governance or they are considered less of a threat to Nwamgbafor’s re-election project and his future presidential ambition. No one who is perceived rightly or wrongly to be in either of the two categories above is spared the venomous drip of the pen of Soludo’s crude assemblage.

The list of those who have come under the scathing attack of this unwieldy goons either because they tried to needle the government to positive action or were seen as a threat to Soludo’s future political ambition is legion. Among them are Peter Obi, Ebube Muonso, Willie Obiano, Victor Umeh, Obi of Onitsha, Innoson, Ibeto, etc. Every one of these people has at one time or the other been a subject of media abuse by the unthinking goons, lemming off a cliff.

But there appears a method to their madness. While their principal is making surreptitious move to mend broken fences they go on the attack perhaps to create the impression that Soludo is on a sure ground – unfazed by the prospect of the uncertain election.

Out of the unthinking media aides who have done more harm to the state than Soludo’s impolitic actions, three stood out. The one is the gaunt-looking stripling boy from Imo state. Said to be a knight of the church, but he has written more than anybody in dishonoring the church. He also dishonors those who brought him up by hand. Few months back, he took on his town’s man, Sam Amadi of the Centre for Public Policy & Research and insulted him heavily. The other is the dirty-looking, awfully-reeking stumpy hack writer who knows nothing except abuse. He is so thoughtless and has a totally warped idea of what the media is. He only insults and it is believed Soludo hired him for that singular job. But the unfortunate thing is that he is also insulting those who were instrumental in making his principal governor. The last, but not the least on the team of Soludo’s hack writers, is the hair brained, photo ops addict. He too has no claim to media craft and like the others – only grandstands and insults. All three are always at the ready to malign the “enemy”. They have inadvertently widened Soludo’s circle of adversary by throwing abuse on people like confetti instead of abridging it.

At a time like this when real politicians are mending fences and shoring up their image before a consequential election, Soludo and his goons are busy attacking imaginary enemies. If they are not accusing Peter Obi of impoverishing ndi Anambra during his time as Governor, they are busy maligning Fr. Ebube Muonso and his brother, Charles Obimma. He said of Obi: “Poverty more than doubled under Peter Obi with over 50% of ndi Anambra living in poverty. Go and verify”. This attack like the one of 2023, when Obi was contesting the presidency, was unprovoked. That Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos was running himself ragged, defending his master Tinubu, has nothing to do with Soludo who is not an APC Governor. If it is not bad blood and a cowardly attempt at endearing himself to the President (who is a sworn political adversary of Obi), it is difficult to figure out what it is.

Pissed by the unwarranted attack, a blogger writing in defense of Obi said: “A governor whose aide was kidnapped along Abuja road because he couldn’t afford flight is accusing Obi of spreading poverty. This Soludo sef & Anya ufu! Tufia kwa”. As if that was not enough his gaunt-looking aide went overboard in slandering Ebube Muonso thus: “In all honesty, I have gone from anger to empathy and now to very sincere prayers for Fr. Emmanuel Obimma of the Onitsha Archdiocese. His recent rants against Governor Soludo shows a man in need of mental health care.” Ebube Muonso’s crime was asking that Innoson Vehicle Show Room, part of which was demolished to give way for road expansion, should not be done while people are inside the building lest there be casualties. “You cannot demolish with people inside the building. As a father you ask people to leave.” While his brother Charles Obimma’s offence for which he was also attacked was for supporting the candidate of his party to win the November governorship election.

The Governor and his aides must be unusual set of people to be provoking war on all fronts in an election year. If the attack dog who accused Charles Obimma of doing what Soludo is covertly doing to elicit the support of the president and undermine Obimma’s candidate in the coming election is not a psychopath, what is he?

But these aides are not alone in plumbing the depth of defamation. The unwarranted attack on Obi from their principal has no better definition than manifest ill will. Soludo and his team are becoming a handful for ndi Anambra and this is not advised. His government must learn to purge itself of the patronizing attitude it displays and get down to politics and governance. Both are interwoven and has to be schlepped together to be able to make the difference.

Obalum writes from Ogbakuba

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News

Abridgement of timetable: INEC goes on appeal *Court misinterpreted law

Published

2 hours ago

May 25, 2026

Whirlwindnews

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja nullifying the timelines issued for the conduct of party primaries and the nomination of candidates.

Alex Izinyon SAN, leading a team of lawyers of the commission in a notice of appeal dated May 25, raised nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider and vacate the judgment the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on May 20.

Apart from raising the issue of jurisdiction, which it said the lower court did not determine, INEC also maintained that the legal action the Youth Party (YP) initiated against it was not only hypothetical but academic.

Arguing that failure of the trial court to make pronouncements on the issues, resulted in the denial of fair hearing to the Appellant, the commission also stressed the lower court misinterpreted the provisions of the electoral act.

It said: “The high court erred in law when it held that: ‘It is clear from the wordings of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the following can be understood. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 mandates Political Parties to submit the names of candidates in prescribed forms of the candidates who emerged from its valid primaries which such a political party intends to sponsor at the elections, not later than 120 days before the date of the General Election.

“What is required of Political Parties to do under the Electoral Act, 2026 is to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 21 days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, days before the holding of its primaries, congresses or conventions, or any conference or meeting convened for the election of its executive committees, other governing bodies for nominating candidates.

“The Defendant is not mandated to impose a timeframe for political parties to conduct their primaries provided that it will be done and submitted not later than the 120 days provided by the Electoral Act, 2026. See Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.”

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News

Daredevil terrorists strike Kwara! *Abduct scores, set Emirs palace ablaze

Published

5 hours ago

May 25, 2026

Whirlwindnews

It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.

But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.

The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.

While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.

However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.

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Crime

Police shun N500million bribe in N7.8 billion Lagos drug haul

Published

6 hours ago

May 25, 2026

Whirlwindnews

“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”

These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.

This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.

In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.

The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.

Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.

Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.

The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.

He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.

According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.

“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.

“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.

“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.

Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.

The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.

“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”

Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.

Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.

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