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Ndikelionwu people move against ‘sit-tight PG’ *Want Soludo to reverse tenure extension
Nothing short of the immediate reversal of the tenure extension granted Edozie Obasi, President General of Ndikelionwu Welfare Association (NWA), will satisfy the community currently protesting the gesture extended by the government of Anambra State.
Community leaders who trooped to Ajali, headquarters of Orumba North Local Government Area are accusing the embattled PG of deceiving Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra State Governor into endorsing the extension, by providing him with false report of the situation in the town.
Contrary to the dummy he allegedly sold that those opposed to the governor were fomenting trouble in the community and were after him for the massive support he had been mustered in the last governorship election, the leaders insisted that the PG’s motive for his sit-tight agenda was actually to cover his track over multiple infractions, ranging from land-grabbing in the community to a plot to transmute into the traditional throne of the ancient kingdom.
Leaders, who led a delegation to the council headquarters in Ajalli, on Wednesday, took turns to brief Casmir Nwafor, its chairman on the details of the PG’s activities, including how he deliberately bungled the NWA elections, scheduled for December 27, last year, thus handing him an alibi to seek the extension.
On the contrary, the community told the council boss, a retired captain of the Nigerian Army of their love for the governor, culminating in their donating a massive 98 per cent vote for him during the November 8 polls, making them the community with the highest votes in that regard in the council.
Those in the delegation, that also handed the council boss a letter to Soludo appealing for a reversal of the tenure extension, included Mazi Fortune Ike the Palace Secretary; Mazi Okechukwu Okereke former PG; Mazi Emeka Nwankwor; former NWA Assist Secretary, Robinson Obidigbo the community’s Youth Leader, and the Emmanuel Nwene who spoke on behalf of the village chiefs.
Hear him: “We’re here to acquaint the Mayor that we need elections between now and Easter. The tenure of the last one elapsed on 27th of December 2025. So, we’re surprised when we heard of a one-year extension, which is not in our constitution.
“We are in support of the Solution Government. We’re not against any development. What we’re saying is that we’re against any tenure elongation, since we have capable men to take care of the affairs of Ndikelionwu people. That is why we are here to make it known to the Mayor that we are in support of the APGA government.”
Nwafor, who received the letter from the protesters thanked the community for their orderly conduct and promised to pass the message to the governor for immediate action, adding that based on the fresh information provided, he was sure justice would be done to all sides.
Cheered in agreement by the crowd, gave further details about the botched election and the demands of the community, Obidigbo, said the people were ready for the election anytime it was called, but would not accept tenure elongation.
His words: “The former executive, they had finished their first and second tenures with the last one expiring on the 27th of December. On the day of election, they gave us details of their stewardship and Ndikelionwu General Assembly dissolved them. Now, the electoral committee, which began their work, now read to us that it is only the financial members that were eligible to vote.
“After several questions and back and forth, they insisted that it was a constitutional matter and it must be followed strictly. Some of us, now agreed that if that was the case, let it be so. We now demanded for the list of financial members. But surprisingly, the same union could not provide the nominal role of the financial members of Ndikelionwu Welfare Association. That became the confusion.
“That bastardised our election. That was the betrayal of our election. If the town union wants to conduct an election and they say it is the financial list of nominal roll, our constitution, article 14.6, item E, has it that the Financial Secretary is responsible for the production, update of the nominal roll of the Ndikelionwu Welfare Association.
“How come they could not provide it on the day of the election? To so many of us, it was a calculated attempt to sabotage our election. Now, the same town union that has been dissolved, brought a letter to us that their tenure has been extended. Now, we begin to question, we don’t know how. But there was a story around obtaining that extension. The question the people of Ndikelionwu are now asking is what is that story.
“Ndikelionwu people are supporters of Solution government. We’re supporters of Solution project in Ndikelionwu. We voted massively for Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, because we believe in him. The question then is who must have done this?
“That is why we’re here. Now what the people of Ndikelionwu are saying is that we want town union election. If you give it to us today, we’re ready for it, if you give it to us tomorrow, we’re ready for it, if you give it to us next tomorrow, we’re ready for it. We don’t want extension. It is illegal in all forms.
“Ndikelionwu people are peaceful people. Ndikelionwu people are ready anytime, any day to collaborate with Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo. We provided our land for development, we’ll continue and we’re ready to provide more. This is why we have come.
“We know our Mayor is a man of justice. He is a youthful Mayor. Our Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo is a youthful governor, he cannot encourage such a thing. That is why we’ve come to tell our own side of the story. We don’t want tenure extension. We want immediate election. This is what we’re asking for.”
Ike, the palace Secretary, who expressed surprise at the turn of events, explained that the mission of the community was based on the record of Soludo’s government for justice and open-handedness, expressing confidence that such attributes would not change in the case of the community.
“Nobody has given us any cogent reason for not having our election. What we heard is tenure elongation. We’re not happy about it. We demand election and not elongation. All these placards are showing our message. Soludo is our man.
“We’re enthralled about his wonderful record. But unfortunately, we’re hearing a different story when it got to our turn. There is light everywhere and the roads are being expanded and everything is happening good. Let this election be icing on the cake.”
Welcoming the delegation, the council boss, Nwafor, who thanked the community for the massive votes given to the governor, expressed his personal love for the people of the community, the reason he said he picked his deputy from the town.
“Ndike is so dear to the governor and to the local government. Being dear to the governor is not just by empty words. He has demonstrated it by bringing a massive project to your community. So, the governor has special love for Ndikelionwu community.
It is because of that love that he doesn’t want your community to be in crisis. Last year, we were informed in Awka and the local government that Ndikelionwu will have their elections. We sent a delegation to ensure there was no problem. But unfortunately, we heard there was no election. I wasn’t there.
“But when I asked why, I was informed of the list of financial and non-financial members. Of course these things are usually well-stated. Before becoming Mayor, I was PG in Oko. We have the same way of doing it. When we say it is only financial members, it is usually well-stated.
“I don’t know how you conduct your own. It is only now that we’re getting further details. But the governor had reasoned in his own wisdom that instead of leaving your community without a leader, and because nobody came to explain this, he should give these people time to conduct a proper election, so that the project at hand in your community would not be jeopardised.
“We don’t intend to undermine your community. The step was taken in the interest of peace – to ensure that the project in your community is well guarded. But now, we’ve heard you people.
“I’m now going to forward your message to the governor today and not tomorrow. You did well by coming to me first. Some people would have proceeded to Awka first. I like the procedure you took and the peaceful nature of your protest. Everyone has a right to demonstrate. I must commend you that you came here peacefully.
“I particularly notice that your delegation is not made up of anyhow people. You have the timber and calibre of your community here. Fortunately, our governor is a listening governor. We’ll take your message to Awka.
“We’re going to explain to him and see how he could help you to conduct an election, which is what you want. Our governor believes in democracy. He’s not an autocratic human being. So, I’ve heard what you people came for and we’re going to do the needful.”
Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has released a list of nomination fees for all its elective positions in 2027, with that of presidential office pegged at N60million – N20million for Expression of Interest and for Nomination Forms, respectively, while putting that of the governorship at N30million.
The forms which would be on sale from Wednesday, would also has those of the Senate put at N8million cumulatively, that of the House of Representatives is pegged at N6million, while aspirants for Houses of Assembly in states are to pay N2.5million.
In a statement signed by Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, National Chairman and Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, National Secretary the party also released the timetable and deadlines for the purchase and return of the forms.
Specifically for the governors, the NDC fixed N10 million and N20million for the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms, respectively, N3 million and N5 million respectively, for the Senate and N2 million and N4 million for the Nomination Forms respectively for the Reps.
State House of Assembly aspirants would be required to pay N1 million for the Expression of Interest and N1.5 million for the Nomination Forms respectively, the statement said, adding that sale of the forms for all elective positions would commence Wednesday, May 13, 2026, and close on Monday, May 18, 2026.
All aspirants would undergo screening and interviews between May 19 and May 21 before becoming eligible to purchase Nomination Forms, the statement noted, adding that the sale of Nomination Forms would commence immediately after the screening exercise and run from May 21 to May 23, while completed forms must be returned not later than May 25.
Disclosing that appeals arising from the screening process would be handled on May 25 and 26, while primary elections for various offices would hold on May 27 and 28, the party put its presidential primary election for May 29, 2026, in Abuja.
While aspirants for the state assemblies would be screened in their respective states, those for National Assembly and presidential aspirants would take place at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
For the governorship primaries the assignment would be conducted at the local government level, the statement said, adding that all aspirants seeking its tickets would be required to sign undertakings in line with the party’s code of conduct and electoral guidelines.
Assuring members and aspirants of what it described as a transparent, inclusive and credible primary process capable of producing competent candidates for the 2027 elections, the statement said: “The party remains committed to a transparent and democratic process that guarantees fairness, inclusiveness and internal democracy in the conduct of its primaries.”
In the conduct of the primaries, the party said it had adopted “open secret ballot” system, to strengthen credibility and transparency during delegate voting, adding that its nomination fees remained among the lowest when compared with those charged by other major political parties in the country.
Announcing concessions for female aspirants and persons living with disabilities, the statement said while women would pay only 50 per cent of the approved fees, while PWDs would enjoy a 75 per cent waiver across all categories.
The statement further added: “The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially announced the commencement of the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for aspirants seeking to contest various elective positions on the platform of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The screening and interview of aspirants, which will determine eligibility for the purchase of Nomination Forms, will hold from Tuesday, May 19, to Thursday, May 21, 2026. The sale of Nomination Forms will commence immediately after the screening exercise, from Thursday, May 21, to Saturday, May 23, 2026, while completed forms must be submitted on or before Monday, May 25, 2026.
“The NDC further stated that appeals arising from the screening process will be entertained on May 25 and 26, while primary elections for various elective offices are scheduled to hold on May 27 and 28, 2026.
“The Presidential Primary Election is slated for May 29, 2026, in Abuja.
“The party explained that aspirants seeking tickets for State Houses of Assembly will be screened in their respective states, while screening for aspirants to the National Assembly and Presidential positions will be conducted at the party’s National Headquarters in Abuja.
“It also disclosed that governorship primaries would be conducted at the local government level. All aspirants will be required to sign an undertaking in line with the party’s guidelines and code of conduct.
“The NDC assured members and aspirants of a transparent, inclusive, and democratic process in the sale of forms and conduct of primaries.
“The party also announced that it would adopt the “open secret ballot” system for its primaries in order to guarantee credibility, fairness, and internal democracy.
“The NDC noted that its approved nomination fees remain among the lowest compared to those of other major political parties in the country.
“A breakdown of the approved fees is as follows:
- State House of Assembly:
Expression of Interest Form – N1 million
Nomination Form – N1.5 million - House of Representatives:
Expression of Interest Form – N2 million
Nomination Form – N4 million - Senate:
Expression of Interest Form – N3 million
Nomination Form – N5 million - Governorship:
Expression of Interest Form – N10 million
Nomination Form – N20 million - Presidency:
Expression of Interest Form – N20 million
Nomination Form – N40 million
Meanwhile, female aspirants and persons living with disability (PWDs) are to pay 50% and 25% of the fees across all categories.
“The party reaffirmed its commitment to a transparent and credible primary election process capable of producing competent candidates for the 2027 general elections.”
For President Bola Ahmed Tinubu there is no other way for African countries to get out of the woods but to engage in massive industrialisation – transforming their rich mineral resources into finished products rather than exporting them in their raw states.
This was the major highlight as he took the podium on Tuesday at the ongoing Africa Forward Summit at the Kenyatta Convention Centre in Nairobi.
Tinubu, who led Nigeria’s government, diplomatic, and business delegation to event, told his audience that Nigeria was ready to assist in the deeper economic integration and industrial growth and prosperity he envisaged for the continent.
Highlighting Nigeria’s blue economy potential as a key driver of Africa’s development, and decrying its underutilisation due to insecurity and uncertainty, he said: “Today, I make an explicit commitment: Nigeria will intensify regional coordination by offering our Deep Blue Project’s maritime intelligence infrastructure as a shared data hub for willing Gulf of Guinea states.
“Interoperable systems, harmonised laws, and seamless joint enforcement must become the daily reality, not an aspiration on paper. Let no one misunderstand: maritime sovereignty does not repel investment — it attracts it. Secure sea lanes, predictable regulation, and functional courts are the preconditions that unlock private capital. Governance has de-risked Nigeria’s maritime proposition. We now invite partners to build on these gains as we advance climate-aligned port modernisation and the digital transformation of our maritime sector.
“As we endorse the Nairobi Declaration, Nigeria affirms that maritime sovereignty and ocean governance are the non-negotiable foundations of Africa’s Blue Economy transformation. We will continue to earn that sovereignty — through institutions, through assets, through law, and through iron-clad regional solidarity that turns our waters from a theatre of risk into a story of shared resilience.
“The oceans have no duplicate as a common heritage of mankind. For Africa, moving from sea blindness to ocean sovereignty is not a choice — it is a generational duty. Nigeria is ready, and we invite all present to join us in that duty.”
Blaming international financial system, for the poor state of industrialization in Africa, Tinubu insisting that Africa must not remain locked into raw-material exports while importing finished goods.
Hear him: “Last September, from the podium of the United Nations General Assembly, Nigeria warned that the international system must reform or risk irrelevance. We spoke not only of the Security Council but of the financial and trade structures that quietly de-industrialise our nations. The evidence is before us. Despite decades of independence, Africa’s share of global manufacturing value added remains below 2 per cent.
“We export raw minerals, crude oil, and agricultural commodities, and we import processed goods at a premium. This pattern is not an accident. It is the product of a global financial architecture that starves our industries of affordable capital, tolerates massive illicit financial flows, and imposes policy constraints that our competitors themselves never observed when they built their own industrial bases.
“Nigeria does not come to this discussion as a supplicant. We come as a nation that has taken painful, homegrown decisions to put our house in order — removing fuel subsidies, unifying our exchange rate, recapitalising our banking system with over US$3.4 billion, and exiting the FATF grey list. These reforms were sovereign choices, not external conditions. They have delivered a declining debt-to-GDP ratio, now projected at 32.3 per cent in 2026, stronger external reserves of $45.5 billion, and a return of investor confidence. But, Excellencies, even a reforming nation like Nigeria is being forced to de-industrialise by a financial system that is stacked against us.”
The President added that in 2026, Nigeria will spend about US$11.6 billion on debt servicing — nearly half of projected revenue.
“Every single dollar that leaves our treasury to pay punitive interest rates is a dollar that did not go into our steel sector, our textile mills, our agro-processing plants, or our digital industries. It is a dollar that did not train a young Nigerian engineer or provide affordable power for our factories. Our industrial base is being starved of the blood it needs — long-term, affordable finance — while creditors and rating agencies treat African sovereigns as permanent high-risk borrowers, regardless of our fiscal performance.
“So, I ask this gathering: how can an African manufacturer compete with a competitor in Europe, Asia, or North America when the cost of borrowing in our nations is five to ten times higher? How can we build cross-border industrial value chains under the African Continental Free Trade Area when our infrastructure projects face a financing gap deepened by the very institutions meant to bridge it? The answer is plain: we cannot. The international financial architecture, as currently constituted, is an instrument of industrial disarmament for Africa.
“Nigeria is not asking for charity. We are demanding a financial system that intentionally enables Africa to industrialise — to process its own minerals, refine its own crude oil, manufacture its own pharmaceuticals, and compete fairly in global markets. We will continue to borrow responsibly, but we insist that our creditworthiness be measured by our economic fundamentals and our industrial potential, not by outdated stereotypes,” he noted.
On migration, Tinubu said addressing root causes was essential, stressing that people would not risk dangerous journeys if opportunities existed at home.
He said Nigeria had embedded migration management within its broader economic reforms, including subsidy removal, banking recapitalisation, and agricultural modernisation.
He also called on international partners to increase investments in climate adaptation, energy access, digital skills, and job-creating sectors, urging that a portion of Official Development Assistance (ODA) be directed toward reducing irregular migration pressures.
Tinubu also called for stronger African cooperation in shaping global migration governance, saying existing frameworks such as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration remained insufficient due to their non-binding nature.
He expressed support for African Union initiatives including the Migration Policy Framework and the Khartoum Process, while urging stronger links between regional and global systems.
The Africa Forward Summit, co-hosted by Presidents Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto, brought together leaders and officials from over 30 countries.
Opening statements were delivered by Macron, Ruto, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and African Union Commission Chair Mahamoud Ali Youssouf.
On the sidelines, Tinubu met Madagascar’s President Michael Randrianirina and held talks with CAF President Patrice Motsepe, where he reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to host the 2026 CAF Awards.
He was accompanied by senior government officials, including ministers of foreign affairs, finance, agriculture, marine and blue economy, environment, industry, communications, as well as leading private sector figures such as Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.
The summit featured discussions on investment, AI, digitalisation, agriculture, creative industries, climate change, and strategies to translate policy discussions into industrial development across Africa.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is claiming to be the victim in the fracas that ensued at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) in Akwa Ibom on Tuesday, which led to the arrest of Eyo Ekpe, Deputy Chairman of the hospital’s Medical Advisory Committee (MAC).
In a detailed account of the incident, which caused panic at the institution following the arrival of the EFCC operatives at the facility, the anti-graft agency, explained that its operatives were in the hospital on lawful duties to make enquiries on a medical report of one of its suspects.
On Tuesday, a video clip showing workers, patients and visitors, scampering away as plumes of smoke suspected to be from teargas canisters fired into the premises, went viral, attracting a backlash from the public.
Amid the commotion that ensued, the operatives, said to have arrived the institution in two saloon cars and a tinted bus, with some officers wearing masks and others dressed in EFCC-branded jackets, eventually spirited away Epe, Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery.
Dele Oyewale, spokesman of the commission, however said the operation was legitimate, adding that the operatives only visited the hospital to authenticate a medical report presented by a suspect who has been remanded over allegations of defrauding multiple microfinance banks, including University of Uyo Microfinance Bank.
Oyewale Head of Media and Publicity, who narrated how the agency previously wrote two different letters to the hospital management over the medical report but received no response, added decided to visit the hospital for further enquiry over the matter.
He wrote in a statement: “As a last resort, operatives of the Commission visited the Chief Medical Director of the hospital on Tuesday to make further enquiries, only to be locked in with a false alarm and subjected to unprovoked attack by misguided staff of the facility who pelted them with stones and other dangerous objects,” the statement reads.
“While within the hospital, the CMD reportedly directed that gates of the facility be shut, making it impossible for any lawful enquiry to be made.
“Police authorities in Akwa Ibom State advised the CMD to open the hospital gates to enable the operatives exit the premises peacefully but the entreaties were turned down.
“In spite of the hostility and provocation, there was no breakdown of law and order as the operatives exercised restraint and professionally made their ways out of the hospital premises without disrupting its activities.
“Enquiries bordering on operational engagements of the Commission are lawful. It is therefore necessary to remind the public and corporate bodies that they are obligated to cooperate with the agency in such circumstances.”
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