Politics

SP Bako’s murder: Stop deliberate distortion of facts, group tells Fubara

Published

1 year ago

December 9, 2024

EMMANUEL AGAJI

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… it’s now clear he is a conveyor of false information

The Ekpeye Advocacy Group in Ahoada of Rivers State has cautioned Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi from deliberately distorting facts on the gruesome murder of SP Bako Amgbashim and other issues.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Olimini Chinuzoke
(Convener) Nnamdi Ezebalike
(Director Publicity) stating his numerous distortions linking the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike.

Apparently irked by this ugly trend, the group putting the records straight in a rebuttal said:

“Our attention has been drawn to the barefaced lies told by the Governor of Rivers State His Excellency Sir Siminalayi Fubara at Ahoada town on Friday 6th December 2024 while commissioning the remodeled Government Girls Secondary School Ahoada.

“The governor had openly declared that Ekpeye kings especially Eze Ekpeye Logbo HRM Kelvin Anugwo and Eze Igbu Akoh HRM Cassidy Ikegbidi who were arrested, detained and prosecuted by the Nigeria Police for alleged complicity in the gruesome murder of the DPO of Ahoada Police Division late SP Bako Amgbashim, were rather singled out for persecution because of their support for him in the cause of the political crises in Rivers state, an assertion that is obviously a lie.

“The expression on the faces of Ekpeye people at the arena when the governor made the comment clearly indicted their resentment as all Ekpeye people know the facts and extent of involvement of all arrested persons in the Bako murder saga.

The group explained that: “At first one would have been tempted to consider the comment as one of the governor’s usual and frequent misfires in public without facts as experienced few days ago in Etche when he said that the past administration of Chief Nyesom Wike did not commission any project in Etche for 8 years but it took a social media post by one of our sons Mr Marshall Obuzor to draw the governor’s attention with evidences that contrary to his claim, projects were initiated and commissioned in Etche by the Wike administration.

“This the governor later admitted and retracted his false claim while speaking at Ahoada even though he tried to undermine the importance and significance of the Wike projects to Etche people.

“Ordinarily we wouldn’t have bordered to react to the governor’s lies because of the obvious facts of the Bako murder, but we are compelled to do so for record purposes and for the sake of the general public who may be tempted to take the governor’s words serious because it came from a governor.

“We are also compelled to react bearing in mind that the governor did not make such pronouncement unconsciously but rather deliberately to distort facts, play politics and whip unnecessary sentiment from the public. Of course the governor knows very well that there is no link between SP Bako’s murder and his self inflicted political ordeal as both do not occur same period.

“It is on record that DPO Bako was murdered on Friday 9th September 2023 and the Ekpeye Kings were arrested on the orders of the Commissioner of Police on Sunday 11th September while his political ordeal occurred on 30th October 2023, a time the Ekpeye kings were already two months in detention.

” This being the fact which the governor is very much aware of, it then baffles common reasoning why the effort to associate himself and his political ordeal with the dastardly act, except there is any behind the scene details not known to us but then we recall also that weeks before Bako was murdered by 2Baba and his gang, the governor had also publicly referred to 2Baba and his gang as “those Cassidy boys”.

“The governor’s decision to associate himself with the circumstances surrounding Bako’s death has also given credence to comments credited to his Chief of Staff Rt Hon Edison Ehie that he was instrumental to the dismissal of the case in court and release of the kings.

“This has severally been collaborated by Eze Kelvin and Eze Cassidy who have been expressing thanks to Edison for their release.

“Of utmost concern to us is the governor’s decision who is the Chief security officer of the state to trivialize and politicize the globally condemned murder of SP Bako Angbashim and the resort to condemning and tarnishing the image of the Nigeria police for the arrest and prosecution of the suspects linked to the Bako murder.

“Our worry in this effort to downplay the gravity of the Bako’s murder and other heinous crimes in Ekpeye is that despite the killing of 2Baba, gruesome murders have continued to occur in Ekpeye on a daily basis without any deliberate effort by the state nor the local governments to end the insecurity. In the past 2 months alone over 20 gruesome murders have been recorded in Ekpeye without the authorities blinking an eye.

” Some of these include the killing of 5 persons in Edeoha town on 20th October, be heading of 2 persons in Ihuowo town, killing of 2 persons in Odiabidi town, killing of 3 persons at Ula
Ehuda on 22nd October, killing of over 5 persons within Ahoada town, killing of paramount ruler and youth leader of oshiugbokor town on 8th September 2024 and yesterday’s murder of Mrs Akpani and her 5 years old son while her stomach was ripped open and the baby in her womb harvested with other organs at Ula Upata community and many more.

“In the just concluded local government elections, all the known cultists and murderers in Ekpeye were allocated councilorship slots which they used their wives, girlfriends or relatives all this to us is an effort to empower these criminals and embolden them to perpetuate their killings and intimidate the people to submission.

“We therefore wish to use this opportunity to plead with the security authorities to come to our aid as there appears to be a deliberate effort to exterminate Ekpeye people.

Related Topics:community Court Nigeria Police school

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Politics

APC shifts presidential primary to May 23, 2026, releases revised 2027 election timetable

Published

11 hours ago

April 24, 2026

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The All Progressives Congress has pushed its presidential primary from May 15-16 to May 23, 2026, with governorship primaries now set for May 21, under a revised timetable for the 2027 general elections.

Deputy National Publicity Secretary Duro Meseko announced the changes Thursday after the party’s 186th National Working Committee meeting in Abuja. He said the adjustments align with the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, and INEC’s updated schedule for the 2027 polls.

■ Key dates in the new timetable:

*Sales of forms:* Saturday, April 25 to Saturday, May 2, 2026.

■ Deadline for submission: Monday, May 4, 2026.

*Screening of aspirants:* Wednesday, May 6 to Friday, May 8, 2026 for House of Assembly, Reps, Senate, and Governorship. Presidential screening holds Saturday, May 9, 2026.

*Publication of screening results:* Monday, May 11, 2026.

Screening appeals: Tuesday, May 12 to Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

■ Primary elections:

– *House of Representatives:* Friday, May 15, 2026

– *Senate:* Monday, May 18, 2026

– *State House of Assembly:* Wednesday, May 20, 2026

– *Governorship:* Thursday, May 21, 2026

– *Presidential:* Saturday, May 23, 2026

*Post-primary appeals:* Reps – May 18; Senate – May 20; State Assembly – date not stated; Governorship – May 23; Presidential – May 25, 2026.

Meseko said notice of the changes went to state chapters on Monday, April 20.

■Zamfara congresses

The NWC also approved a schedule for ward, LGA, and state congresses in Zamfara beginning Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Ward congresses hold Thursday, April 30. LGA and state congresses follow, with appeals slated for May 1 and May 3, 2026.

■ Mode of primaries

Meseko said the party adopted direct primary and consensus as provided in the Electoral Act 2026. “Aspirants are free to decide their preference,” he said. “Where consensus works, it stands. Where an aspirant does not agree to consensus, it automatically reverts to direct primaries.”

He dismissed claims that nomination forms would be restricted. “Forms for all aspirants seeking offices under the APC are available for all, not exclusively reserved for any individual,” he said.

■ INEC dates

INEC has fixed Presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, January 16, 2027, and Governorship/State Assembly polls for Saturday, February 6, 2027. Party primaries and disputes must run between April 23 and May 30, 2026. Campaigns start August 19, 2026 for federal elections and September 9, 2026 for state elections.

Politics

Lagos 2027: Obasa Hosts Hamzat,Promises Support For Governorship Bid

Published

11 hours ago

April 24, 2026

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The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, on Thursday, played host to Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat at his official residence in GRA, Ikeja, promising to galvanise his expansive political structure to ensure Hamzat’s victory at the forthcoming governorship election.

Dr Hamzat is the presumptive APC candidate for the Lagos governorship seat, and the engagement was part of his ongoing strategic consultations with All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders and leaders.

Speaker Obasa extolled Hamzat’s pedigree, commitment to infrastructure development, and loyalty to the party, adding that for the continued development of Lagos State, every discerning electorate must rally round him.

“I just returned from Abuja, and the conversation remains the same – Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat is the next Governor of Lagos State. You have demonstrated unquestionable loyalty to our great party and even greater competence in serving Lagos. We love you, we support you, and we will do everything to ensure that we win the election,” Speaker Obasa declared.

Responding, Dr Hamzat expressed gratitude for the warm reception while highlighting Obasa’s legislative experience and political network, which he said are invaluable.

He reiterated his focus on collaborative governance, saying, “Lagos is a collective project. My consultations are not about personal ambition but about ensuring continuity, innovation, and inclusive development for our people,” Hamzat said.

Politics

ADC may face disqualification from 2027 Election Ballot

Published

1 day ago

April 23, 2026

EMMANUEL AGAJI

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The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in the lingering leadership disputes rocking both the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress, raising fresh uncertainty ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The apex court took arguments from all parties involved in the appeals and cross-appeals.

After proceedings, it announced that judgment would be delivered at a later date.

However, no timeline was given.amd this has created tension, especially for parties battling internal divisions.

For the PDP, the crisis has already led to major changes. Earlier rulings had nullified the Ibadan convention that produced Kabiru Turaki as national chairman. The court also upheld the suspension of some top officials.

As it stands, the faction backed by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, remains in charge. This group is the one currently recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
While the PDP appears to have found some stability, the situation is more troubling for the ADC. The party is deeply divided into three factions. These groups are led by David Mark, Nafiu Bala Gombe, and Ogga Temitope. None of these factions has been officially recognised by INEC.

This lack of recognition puts the ADC in a difficult position. INEC has set May 10 as the deadline for all registered political parties to submit their membership registers. Only parties that meet this requirement will be cleared to field candidates in the 2027 elections.

With the Supreme Court yet to fix a date for judgment, time is running out. If the ruling does not come before the deadline, the ADC risks missing out entirely. This would mean the party may not appear on the ballot in 2027.