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Buhari’s minister, Sylva finally dumps APC
Ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has dumped All Progressives Congress (APC).
His resignation was contained in a letter dated August 31, 2026, addressed and electronically transmitted to the APC Chairman of Ward 4 in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
In the letter, Sylva accused the ruling party of abandoning the ideals on which it was founded, saying he could no longer remain in the party.
He also described the APC as a floundering ship whose fate appears irredeemable by the load of its iniquities.
The resignation letter were also sent to the National Chairman of the APC, the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Bayelsa State Chairman of the party.
The former Governor of Bayelsa State said his decision followed extensive consultations with his family, associates, colleagues and sympathisers.
“Having consulted widely with my family, associates, colleagues and sympathisers, I wish to formally tender my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), with immediate effect,” he stated.
Sylva, who described himself as a founding member of the APC, accused the current leadership of abandoning the ideals that initially attracted him and other Nigerians to the party.
He said their actions have shown that the basic standards of morality and decency have been abandoned by the leaders who now believe that ‘all is fair in politics.’
“As a founding member of the APC, and one who joined other well-meaning Nigerians in building the Party with sweat and money, it is deeply saddening to witness how the ideals we espoused have been so thoroughly and unrecognisably thwarted.
“Moreover, I cannot, in all good conscience, continue to belong to a Party whose leaders believe that ‘all is fair in politics,’ and have consistently demonstrated that belief in practice.
“All cannot be fair in any endeavour of life. The demands of basic decency and morality forbid it,” he said.
Sylva alleged that the current APC leadership and the federal government have disappointed a lot of Nigerians.
“The present Government, formed under the banner of the APC we once loved, has disappointed the vast majority of Nigerians. And I can see neither a credible attempt nor any possibility of a revamp.
“I am therefore left with no other choice than to jettison a floundering ship whose fate appears to have been sealed by its irredeemable load of iniquities,” he said.
The former Governor called on Nigerians to vote out the APC in the 2027 elections and free the country from a political stronghold.
“I have no doubt that, in the coming election, Nigerians will vote for Nigeria and free the Country from this stranglehold on our beautiful country,” he stated.
He also accused the EFCC of conducting itself like an arm of the APC rather than an independent institution of state.
Sylva acknowledged that his resignation could expose him and his associates to increased scrutiny or investigation by the anti-graft agencies and other security forces.
“I am deliberately putting the EFCC in copy of this letter because, of late, it has conducted itself more as an organ of the APC than as an institution of State.
“I am fully aware that this action of mine may invite a redoubled witch-hunt against me and my associates, but that is a risk I am willing to take,” he stated.
Halima Dangote, daughter of Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote, has disclosed the long-term ambition of the Dangote family to grow the business empire founded by her father into a company valued at about $200 billion.
Halima made the disclosure while speaking about the responsibilities that come with being a member of one of Africa’s most prominent business families.
According to a report by GhanaWeb, she said the family’s ambition goes beyond preserving the wealth created by Aliko Dangote, stressing that the next generation is expected to build on his achievements and significantly expand the conglomerate.
She also challenged the perception that she and her siblings have had an easy life simply because they were born into a wealthy family.
According to her, being the children of a highly successful businessman comes with significant expectations, particularly the responsibility of protecting, managing and expanding the business built by their father.
The Dangote Group has evolved from its beginnings as a trading company into a diversified conglomerate with operations spanning several key sectors of the African economy.
Its businesses include cement manufacturing, fertiliser production, petroleum refining and petrochemicals, among other industrial activities.
One of the group’s biggest investments is the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, which has expanded its operations and increased its processing capacity as it seeks to play a major role in meeting energy demand in Nigeria and beyond.
The conglomerate has also continued to pursue expansion across Africa, with investments aimed at strengthening its position in manufacturing and other strategic industries.
Halima’s comments underscore the role the younger generation of the Dangote family is expected to play in the future of the conglomerate.
Rather than simply inheriting the wealth accumulated by their father, the family is looking to expand the businesses and create an enterprise that operates on an even larger scale.
The proposed $200 billion valuation is a long-term ambition, not the current value of the Dangote Group. The target reflects the scale of growth the family hopes to achieve through expansion into new markets and increased investment in existing businesses.
Aliko Dangote has consistently pursued large-scale investments in sectors including refining, petrochemicals, fertiliser and cement, as part of his broader push to build globally competitive African businesses.
With the next generation increasingly involved in the family business, Halima’s remarks point to a long-term succession strategy focused not only on preserving the Dangote legacy but also on expanding its economic footprint.
The $200 billion ambition therefore represents the scale of the challenge facing the family’s younger generation as it seeks to sustain the conglomerate’s growth and build on the foundation laid by its founder.
…hails Gov Kefas, security agencies timely intervention
Senator representing Taraba Central, Haruna Manu, has appealed for calm and peaceful coexistence following the recent clash between Fulani and Mambilla communities in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Manu, in a statement personally signed by him, expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the violence and urged residents to put the incident behind them and embrace peace.
The clash reportedly occurred last Tuesday in Mbamga communities along the Nigeria-Cameroon border, leaving nine residents dead.
Reacting to the development, the senator called on his constituents and members of the affected communities to remain calm and avoid actions that could further escalate tensions.
“I want to appeal for understanding and plead with the families of the victims of the clash. This development is uncalled for, especially at this trying period for all and sundry,” Manu said.
He also commended Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, for what he described as his timely intervention in the crisis.
“I want to equally thank His Excellency, Dr Agbu Kefas, for his timely intervention to quickly nip the clash in the bud before it escalates,” he added.
The former Taraba Deputy Governor also praised security operatives for restoring peace to the communities.
Manu urged the various communities to continue to promote peaceful coexistence and work together to prevent a recurrence of violence in the area.
More than 6,000 members of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The defectors, led by the NDC’s former Enugu State Contact and Mobilisation Coordinator, Godwin Obasi, were formally received into the PDP by the party’s state leadership in Enugu on Saturday.
The reported figure of more than 6,000 was given by the defectors’ leadership and has not been independently verified. �
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Obasi said the group comprised members drawn from all 260 electoral wards and 17 local government areas of the state.
He said they decided to leave the NDC following dissatisfaction with what he described as the party’s choice of unpopular candidates for various elective positions.
“We decided that we were going to join the PDP. It is our right and choice. So, after we congregated, we are here today to officially join the PDP.
“We are from all the 260 wards and 17 local government areas in the state, and all of us have moved into the PDP from today,” Obasi said.
Obasi had earlier been identified as the NDC’s state coordinator for contact and mobilisation in Enugu, where he was involved in building the party’s grassroots structure ahead of the 2027 elections. �
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Receiving the defectors, the Enugu State PDP Chairman, Vitus Okechi, welcomed their decision and assured them of equal rights and full participation in the affairs of the party.
Okechi said the new members would be integrated into the party’s structure and given opportunities to participate in its activities.
Also speaking, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Uche Nnaji, assured the defectors of their full integration into the party.
Nnaji used the occasion to launch fresh criticism against the Enugu State Government, alleging that the administration had failed to fulfil some of its promises to residents.
He urged residents to participate actively in what he described as efforts to change the political direction of the state ahead of the 2027 elections.
Nnaji particularly criticised the state’s taxation policies, alleging that the government’s revenue drive was placing undue pressure on residents without corresponding benefits.
He further alleged that taxation had extended to newborn babies and deceased persons, while questioning the tangible impact of the revenue generated by the government.
On pensions and gratuities, Nnaji alleged that retirees in the state were being denied their entitlements.
“Our pensioners are not being paid. Enugu is the only place where pensions and gratuities are not being paid to our people.
“Nothing is paid to our people. Everybody is in a mess.
“Imo and Anambra pay their pensions and gratuities to date. What sin have we committed in Enugu State?” he asked.
Nnaji also claimed that the Enugu State Government had received substantially more federal funds under President Bola Tinubu than the three previous administrations combined.
He alleged that the funds received in about three years exceeded what the administrations of former governors Chimaroke Nnamani, Sullivan Chime and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi received during their combined 24 years in office.
“And President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has released so much money to all the states. What this government here has received is more than what the three previous governors, Chimaroke, Sullivan and Ugwuanyi put together.
“What they received in 24 years, this government has received in about three years. We are talking of trillions,” he said.
He also questioned the level of internally generated revenue reported by the Enugu State Government in 2025, alleging that the revenue collection had imposed additional hardship on residents.
The allegations made by Nnaji were political claims made during the defection event and were not independently verified in the reports reviewed. �
wazobiareportersng.com.ng
Meanwhile, PDP chieftain Basil Ani described the movement of the NDC members into the PDP as a boost to the party’s grassroots mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development comes as political parties in Enugu intensify grassroots mobilisation and positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dangote Family Targets $200bn Empire, Halima Reveals
Senator Manu Urges Calm After Fulani-Mambilla Clash, Condoles With Victims’ Families
2027: Over 6,000 NDC Members Dump Party, Join PDP in Enugu
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