|
Listen to article
|
Former Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike, for standing by him during a period of political isolation following his removal as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Oshiomhole disclosed this, yesterday, in Benin City during the handover of 54 construction equipment to the 18 local government areas of Edo State, where he reflected on events that trailed his exit from office.
According to the senator representing Edo North, many members of his party distanced themselves from him after he was dismissed as APC National Chairman.
“After I was dismissed as APC National Chairman, I became lonely, abandoned by my own party. People were afraid to visit me then because it could be termed anti-party,” Oshiomhole said.
He noted that Wike reached out to him at a time when others stayed away.
“But I got a call from a rare Nigerian who identifies with those who are lonely, and he invited me to Port Harcourt to commission a flyover. Can you imagine? And that was not enough, this minister honoured me with the highest honour of Rivers State,” he stated.
Oshiomhole added that although Wike once told him he had “celebrated” his political misfortunes, the FCT minister renewed his hope during the difficult period.
“So, if I dey do yanga, it’s because I have a minister that can identify with me when I was removed from my job,” he said.
He commended Wike’s leadership and political performance, particularly in the recent FCT local government elections.
“If anybody was in doubt, he did the one that yesterday when his party came second after the APC. To take second after APC, no issue. Particularly where some people did not over 100,” Oshiomhole said.
He further described Wike as “the first person from our geopolitical zone, South South, to go to Abuja as a city minister and minister in a way that has refined and redefined the concept of development.”
Oshiomhole appreciated the relationship between Wike and Edo State leaders, saying, “I want to congratulate you. And I want to thank our governor for sustaining the friendship with the Minister of FCT.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly condemned the assassination attempt on the life of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and other leaders of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Edo State.
The Eastern Updates had reported that Obi and other ADC leaders came under deadly attack during the formal declaration of Olumide Akpata into the ADC in Benin City.
Obi’s motorcade was riddled with bullets following the unprovoked attack.
Reacting, Atiku, in a statement on Tuesday night, said the attack is “utterly condemnable and unacceptable in any democracy.
“In recent times, we have witnessed reckless and inflammatory rhetoric from elements within the ruling party in Edo State, rhetoric that dangerously legitimises violence against political opponents.
“Words, when weaponised, often precede actions. What happened in Benin did not occur in a vacuum.
“Nigeria is entering a perilous phase in which opposition voices are not only harassed through state institutions but are now being physically targeted. The ruling APC appears to have escalated its intolerance from bureaucratic suppression to open aggression.
“Bola Tinubu and the nation’s security chiefs bear a constitutional responsibility to guarantee the protection of lives and property without discrimination or partisanship. The safety of opposition leaders and supporters is not a favour; it is a democratic obligation.
“Nigeria must not descend into a theatre where politics is settled by violence.”
In other news President Bola Tinubu pledged Monday evening to establish state police across Nigeria, describing decentralised policing as a practical security necessity rather than a political manoeuvre, as he hosted 20 state governors, two deputy governors, and senior federal officials to an interfaith breaking of fast at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja.
The dinner, which marked the first Iftar of the 2026 Ramadan season, also coincided with the Christian Lenten period, a convergence that multiple attendees described as occurring for the first time in 33 years. Vice President Kashim Shettima, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, members of the Federal Executive Council, and Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun were among those present. Speaking directly on insecurity, President Tinubu tied the state police commitment to a broader assurance that campaign promises made before his inauguration in May 2023 would not be deferred.
“What I promised you will not be postponed. We will establish state police to combat insecurity,” he declared. The statement represented one of his most direct public reaffirmations of the policy since assuming office, though no legislative timeline or implementation framework was announced at the event.
Nigeria currently operates a centralised federal police structure under the Nigeria Police Force, which is constitutionally under federal command. Successive administrations have debated decentralising policing to the state level, with proponents arguing that state governments are better positioned to respond to localised security threats. Opponents have historically raised concerns about political interference and the risk of governors deploying state police against opponents. A constitutional amendment enabling state policing was passed by the National Assembly and signed by President Tinubu in 2024, though implementation has remained pending.
“Security is the foundation of prosperity,” the President said. “Without it, farms cannot flourish, businesses cannot grow, and families cannot sleep in peace. This is not about politics; it is about practicality. It is about empowering states with the tools to protect their people while strengthening our national framework.”
