News
APC to Wike: Stay away, mind your PDP business *We don’t know you!
A direct, unequivocal message was sent to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Monday from the headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) – stay away from our business!
The message was conveyed via Ajibola Basiru, a Senator and National Secretary of the party, who expressed its disgust at the role the Minister is playing in trying to muddle up its affairs in Rivers State following his bitter engagement with Siminalayi Fubara, the state governor and a member of the party.
Basiru, who practically told the Minister that he was a meddlesome interloper, and a busybody, since he was not a member of the APC wondered why he should not direct his energy to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which membership he still maintained.
Using his X platform to pass the message, he wrote: “For the avoidance of doubt, our records indicate that Minister Nyesom Wike is not a member of our Party (APC), so he lacks the locus to dabble into the affairs [of] our party.
“From my record, he isn’t a member of APC. I don’t see which authority or temerity he has to be dabbling in APC affairs.
“I am the National Secretary of APC and I don’t see any basis for him to be making comments about my activities either in Rivers State or in any part of Nigeria.
“As the National Secretary of the party, my activities aren’t confined to Osun State contrary to his wrong impression. I am the head of the National Secretariat of the APC.
“So, he has no locus whatsoever to engage me in any political activity that concerns the APC until he joins the party.
“Secondly, I take strong exception to his allusion that I am interested in the N600 billion allocations of Rivers State. My records of service are those of integrity and commitment to service.
“I am not an opportunist, and I have never shied away from taking principled positions on any matter, no matter whose ox is gored.
“As to his veiled threat against me, I am a believer in God, that only God can do something for anybody, no matter how highly placed.
“I am one of the young Nigerians that confronted military dictatorship. I can’t be bullied by anybody, no matter how highly placed. My records as national secretary are above board, and I can’t be queried by somebody who isn’t a member of APC. Finally, my advice to him is that he should resign as Minister and face his obsession with Rivers politics.”
The chiding came on the heels of Wike’s dart thrown at him at the weekend, warning that he would get his fingers burnt if he, as much as interfered in the political business of Rivers State, where he claimed to be the supreme leader and conducting a political structure where both the PDP and APC would work together to deliver President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The FCT minister had, during his thank-you visit to the Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state, on Sunday, reacted to Basiru who took umbrage to the reference to Fubara as “so-called governor,” by Victor Giadom, National Vice Chairman, South-South of the party, warned him to stop disrespecting the governor.
But in a clapback, Wike, who obviously approved the supposed disrespect to the governor, who seems to have renewed the political battle with him in the control of the political structure of the state, returned the favour by asking him to stay away from the battle.
“Tell your national secretary to leave Rivers alone. Go and ask those who have tried it before, and don’t take our support for Mr President for granted. You have to be careful of the statement you made.
“When Mr. President comes back, when I see the Minister of Blue Economy, I will tell them to tell him. Carry your hand to Rivers State, if your hand burns, don’t say na me burn am. We have taken a decision to support Mr President, and that is exactly what we are doing.
“When we agreed to support Tinubu in 2023, nobody forced us. Now, food is ready, and everybody is coming, and when it was hot, nobody was saying anything. Leave Rivers state alone.”
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, announced the approval of the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion as emergency intervention funding.
Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, who conveyed the development to the public, said the fund would strengthen the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical national public health emergency response activities.
To be chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, the committee with membership drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and state representatives is also expected to get briefings on their plans to contain the disease.
Onanuga, stated that Tinubu also specifically directed all states hosting international airports and international border corridors, as well as relevant MDAs, to submit their plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for consideration and coordinated implementation.
Stating that the President’s move followed a stakeholder meeting convened under the CoS to review Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies against the possible importation of Ebola into the country., the statement informed that the Task Force would also intensify passenger screening at all international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols.
Other measures would also include enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk airline routes, including Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines; and the immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at the Lagos and Abuja international airports, with other airports to follow.
Other measures include the mandatory activation of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as the disinfection of departure halls, cargoes, baggage areas and airport facilities as precautionary environmental measures.
The President also directed the advisory group to consult with security, diplomatic and aviation bodies on regulating flights from affected and designated high-risk countries and mandated the task force to designate specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to enable controlled screening and isolation procedures, and to consider adjusting flight schedules to minimise interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
Justice Akintoye Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Tuesday ordered the remand of Paul Jibrin Oweleke in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged cybercrime offences linked to social media broadcasts that allegedly called for overthrow of President Bola Tinubu.
Specifically, Oweleke, in a two-count charge was accused of publishing posts on his online platform known as “Oweleke TV”, urging the Nigerian military to remove the President from office in a manner similar to takeovers in some West African countries, an act the agency said bordered on incitement and the use of a computer system to disseminate content considered prejudicial to national security and constitutional governance.
Oweleke’s broadcasts, the agency stressed, were capable of inciting public disorder and promoting disaffection against the government, which will undermine the country’s democracy.
Legal argument had ensued immediately after Oweleke, pleaded not guilty to the charges, with his lawyer kicking vehemently against the prayer of the agency that the court should order his remand pending the commencement of trial, on the ground that a bail application had already been filed and served on the prosecution.
But Aluko, who was persuaded to grant the prayer, went with the DSS, while adjourning the matter to June 16 for the hearing of the bail application, stating that Oweleke, would remain in the facility of the agency pending the outcome.
By June 29 all medical doctors in public hospitals in Nigeria will drop their stethoscopes and other instruments of healthcare, unless the Federal Government settles all unpaid allowances, salary arrears, delayed training funds, and worsening welfare concerns of its members across the country’s health sector.
This was the notice served to the government on Monday, through The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the umbrella under which the doctors operate, after rising from Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) held in Kano.
In the 21-day ultimatum to the government, the doctors warned that it would not be able to guarantee industrial harmony if the issues remain unresolved within the 21-day period.
In the resolution conveying their position, signed by Mohammad Suleiman, President, Shuaibu Ibrahim, Secretary-General, and Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, Publicity and Social Secretary, on Friday, the body regretted that government had failed to fulfil several commitments to doctors despite repeated assurances and engagements.
“The association hereby declares an industrial dispute with the federal government of Nigeria on the outlined matters above and cannot guarantee industrial harmony after the 21-day window period given to address all the demands,” the communique reads.
The association said it is giving the federal government the 21-day window to commence concrete actions towards the development and implementation of a national healthcare workers assault prevention and response protocol
and the initiation of the necessary legislative process to address the menace.
NARD also demanded the release and payment of the 2026 medical residency training fund (MRTF) to all eligible resident doctors nationwide within the next 21 days.
The association questioned the unpaid salary and promotion arrears in several federal and state health institutions, as well as discrepancies in professional allowances reflected in members’ May 2026 salaries.
It highlighted the welfare issues affecting house officers, including salary delays, unpaid arrears, and difficulties with internship placement and onboarding processes that remain unresolved.
It also accused Motunrayo Omidiran, executive chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), of delaying the issuance of letters of compliance to federal health institutions, noting that the delay has hampered recruitment efforts, manpower shortages, and brain drain in the sector.
NARD expressed worries about the increasing assaults, harassment, intimidation, and violent attacks against doctors while on duty, demanding the arrests, investigation, and prosecution of perpetrators.
It called for the establishment of a national healthcare workers’ assault prevention and response protocol within 21 days by the federal government and security agencies.
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