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Why PDP leaders, govs are joining APC – Wike
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday said leaders and governors of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) due to the capacity of President Bola Tinubu.
Wike said those who once criticised the president are now members of the APC.
He disclosed this at the flag-off of the construction of the main carriageways on the outer southern expressway in Abuja.
The minister said Tinubu has shown leadership and the ability to deliver the dividends of democracy.
Wike said he has been justified that Mr President is a performer, adding that the governors should rather commend him for “doing a good job” of paving the way for them to join the ruling party.
He said, “I have been watching on daily television and social media, people who said I want to destabilize the party, I am working for the APC. All of them are now in the APC. So, which means if it is true, they should commend me for working for where they are heading. So, I should be commended for doing a good job for them”.
In the past 48 hours, the Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, resigned his membership of the PDP and joined the ruling APC, stating that his decision was in the interest of national development under President Tinubu’s leadership.
Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri, also resigned his membership of the party on Wednesday, along with 19 members of the State House of Assembly, making the fourth PDP governor to defect ahead of the 2027 general elections, bringing the number of PDP governors from 11 as of October 2024, to only eight as of today.
The Minister noted that the governors no longer had an excuse as the “decisive leadership” of President Tinubu had ensured that every state had enough resources to pay salaries and embark on credible projects and activities.
Wike said, “Let every state be sincere to their people, and to Nigerians. I was a governor for eight years. I was a governor running around banks to look for money to do projects. Sometimes, every month, the money that comes will not be enough to pay salaries and all other allowances, not to talk about doing projects.
“Today, by the leadership of somebody, by the decisive leadership of somebody who has made it possible for all the states, and the Federal Capital Territory, not to be running around banks again. Rather, banks are now looking for states to say ‘look, don’t throw us away, we are here.
“Somebody has made that possible; every state now has money, not only to pay salaries, not only to carry out government activities, but also to embark on projects. It was not like that before”.
He described the decision to defect and support the Tinubu-led administration as “worthwhile”, adding that no governor will leave debts for their successors any longer, as it used to happen.
The minister said, “So, if, for that reason, so many people are going to support Mr President, I think it is worthwhile. Now, no governor will talk about leaving debts for his successor, unlike what used to happen before. That is the leadership of somebody.
“And that’s what this country needs for now. Visionary leadership, purposeful leadership, that will be able to make decisions. Decisions that people were running away from taking when they had the opportunity”.
The FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, described the project as a bold step toward easing traffic flow, stimulating economic activities, and enhancing mobility for residents across the Federal Capital Territory.
She said the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu constantly reminds Nigerians that progress is built not only in policy but in the visible transformation of lives and communities.
In the same breath, Mahmoud hailed the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike, for his unwavering energy, foresight, and passion in ensuring that infrastructure development in the FCT is both meaningful and people-centered.
According to her, “under your watch, the FCT has truly become a construction powerhouse and a beacon of national renewal.”
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Watch FCT minister Nyesom Wike on TVC by 5pm today as he speaks on Rainbow Coalition, 2027 elections
The Minister of Federal Capital Territory FCT Nyesom Wike will today speak on the essence of Rainbow Coalition, President Bola TInubu and the 2027 general elections .
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has constituted a team to investigate individuals named in alleged questionable dealings linked to the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project, following a recent ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris, France, in favour of Nigeria.
Sources familiar with the development told Premium Times that the investigative team is being supervised by the Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede.
The investigation comes days after the ICC tribunal dismissed major claims brought before it by Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Limited against Nigeria over the 3,960-megawatt Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project in Taraba State.
The company had made a claim against the Federal Republic of Nigeria, demanding $680 million as a settlement sum and interest in respect of another arbitration in which it is claiming over $2.7 billion in compensation and interest.
Delivering its verdict on Thursday, the tribunal directed Sunrise and its promoter to refund Nigeria’s legal fees of $11.8 million. It also rejected Sunrise’s claim for an order that Nigeria should pay the company $400 million in satisfaction of the settlement sum of $200 million and the default sum of $200 million.
The tribunal insisted that Leno Adesanya, the promoter of Sunrise, is bound by the arbitration agreement with Nigeria pursuant to the settlement agreement, adding that it has jurisdiction over Nigeria’s counterclaim against him and his firm.
According to sources, EFCC investigation will focus on individuals mentioned in the tribunal’s findings over payments and transactions that the panel described as raising concerns or ‘red flags.’
The tribunal revealed that many Nigerian politicians and individuals who held public offices were named as associates or officials who had dealings with Adesanya
The officials include former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, his then-wife Jennifer Douglas, Abubakar Malami, Olu Agunloye, Sambo Dasuki, his son Abubakar Dasuki, Abdullahi Yola, and Dere Awosika.
Malami, a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), was severely criticised by the tribunal for acting against Nigeria’s national interest. He was accused of maintaining an “inappropriate relationship” with Adesanya, and entering into a corrupt deal. Already, Mr Malami is facing trial after the EFCC accused him, his wife, and son of conspiring to conceal, disguise and retain about N8.7 billion proceeds of unlawful activities.
Atiku, former vice president of Nigeria, was named by the tribunal in its review of a $500,000 payment made by Adesanya on 30 January 2003 from the Swiss bank account of his offshore company, China Castle Investments Ltd, to a US bank account belonging to Ms Douglas, Atiku’s ex-wife.
The payment was made less than four months before the Mambilla BOT contract was purportedly awarded to Sunrise by then Minister of Power and Steel, Olu Agunloye. Mr Adesanya told the tribunal that the money was part of a foreign-exchange transaction carried out for Atiku through his bureau de change business.
But the tribunal said that the explanation was not supported by documentary evidence. It said Adesanya did not produce records showing the underlying naira payment, the exchange rate applied, instructions from Atiku or his aides, correspondence concerning the transaction or documentation establishing its commercial purpose.
The tribunal also noted that neither Atiku nor Ms Douglas provided a witness statement or declaration supporting the explanation.
It noted that Atiku had led a Nigerian government delegation to Beijing in July 2002, which included Adesanya, during which the Nigerian government and the Chinese state-owned NCPEC signed a memorandum of understanding covering, among other projects, the Mambilla project.
However, Atiku has denied being indicted by the tribunal and said he was not responsible for awarding the contract.
Agunloye, a former minister of Power and Steel, was linked to payments he described as part of “medical expenses”. He is currently standing trial over charges relating to the Mambilla power project.
The tribunal also questioned payments of $1.74 million made to Abubakar Dasuki, the son of Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser (NSA), adding that the transaction raised “considerable red flags.”
The tribunal said Dasuki failed to substantiate his claim that the payment was a loan, citing inconsistencies in his evidence, the absence of a loan agreement and the lack of records showing how the transaction was accounted for by Sunrise.
Yola and Awosika were also named among those involved in alleged bribery and the receipt of controversial payments.
Sources told Premium Times that the EFCC may invite Atiku and his ex-wife, Douglas, for questioning in the coming days or weeks.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has demanded an explanation from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his decision to stay away from the United Nations General Assembly for the third consecutive year.
Atiku’s criticism followed the Presidency’s announcement that Vice President Kashim Shettima would represent Tinubu and lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 81st Session of the UNGA in New York. The 2026 General Debate is scheduled for September 22 to 28.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said Tinubu had been absent from the 79th UNGA in 2024, the 80th in 2025 and would again not attend the 81st session in 2026.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, said the repeated delegation of the Vice President could no longer be regarded as routine diplomatic representation.
He argued that the UNGA provides heads of government with an important platform to advance their countries’ interests, hold bilateral meetings, attract investments, pursue trade opportunities and engage development partners.
According to him, while Shettima could effectively represent Nigeria, the Vice President’s participation could not completely substitute for the President’s personal presence and visibility at a major international diplomatic gathering.
Atiku further argued that Nigeria could lose opportunities for investment and development financing when the President is absent from such high-level engagements.
“The cost is eventually transferred to ordinary citizens: fewer investments mean fewer businesses and fewer jobs,” he said.
The former vice president also questioned reports that Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jimoh Ibrahim, had secured a seat for Tinubu close to United States President Donald Trump during the General Assembly.
“The seat was secured, but the President disappeared,” Atiku said.
He also questioned reports that the Tinubu administration had spent up to $9 million on American lobbyists, asking why Nigeria would commit such funds to lobbying efforts in the United States while the President repeatedly stayed away from the UN gathering in New York.
“What exactly did Nigerians purchase with that money?” Atiku asked.
Questions over Tinubu’s US legal history
Atiku subsequently raised questions about Tinubu’s past legal proceedings in the United States, citing Case No. 93 C 4483 before the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
He referred to the forfeiture proceedings involving funds held in accounts in Tinubu’s name and those of associated companies, alleging that US court documents linked the funds to narcotics trafficking and money laundering.
Atiku said the proceedings ultimately resulted in the forfeiture of approximately $460,000 to the US government.
However, he stressed that he was not claiming Tinubu was legally barred from entering the United States.
“We are not asserting that Tinubu is legally prohibited from entering the United States. The Presidency has announced no such restriction,” Atiku said.
He nevertheless questioned whether Tinubu’s past legal history in the US had any connection with his repeated absence from the UNGA.
“Nigerians are therefore entitled to ask whether Tinubu’s three consecutive UNGA absences have anything to do with this documented American history,” he said.
Atiku called on the Presidency to explain the reason for Tinubu’s absence if there was no legal, diplomatic, medical or personal impediment preventing him from attending.
“Has one man’s personal history become a burden on Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement?” he asked.
He also questioned whether the President’s absence could affect Nigeria’s diplomatic engagement with the United States and other countries.
Atiku concluded by demanding greater transparency from the Presidency over the decision to send Shettima to the UNGA for a third consecu
Watch FCT minister Nyesom Wike on TVC by 5pm today as he speaks on Rainbow Coalition, 2027 elections
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