Politics
SP Bako’s murder: Stop deliberate distortion of facts, group tells Fubara
… 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.
Politics
Atiku’s Ally Dumps ADC
An Adamawa State chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and ally of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Umar Jada, has resigned from the party.
Jada, also known as Calculate, stepped down from his positions as Assistant National Publicity Secretary and North-East Publicity Secretary of ADC.
In a resignation letter dated December 1, 2025, and made available to journalists on Tuesday in Yola, Jada said, “I took the painful decision in order to refocus my attention on other critical life commitments.
“I write to formally tender my resignation as the assistant national publicity secretary and zonal publicity secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), effective immediately.
“The decision is based purely on personal grounds after careful reflection on my current commitments, responsibilities and the direction I must now take at this stage of my life. Stepping down is a difficult but necessary choice I made to allow myself to attend to pressing personal matters that require my full attention.”
He added, “I remain deeply grateful for the trust and support extended to me throughout my period of service. It has been an honour to contribute to the growth, visibility and strengthening of our great party. I cherish the experiences, the teamwork and the ideals we collectively uphold in our pursuit of a better and more democratic Nigeria.
“Please be assured of my continued respect for the party’s leadership and my unwavering goodwill towards the ADC. I remain committed to supporting the party’s values and aspirations in whatever way my circumstances may allow in the future.”
Politics
Osun 2026: APC National Leadership Vows to Guide Choice of Candidate
The All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, said it will defer to the Elders’ Council in Osun State in determining the direction of the forthcoming governorship primary scheduled for Saturday, December 13, 2025.
This assurance was given by the Party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, when the leading gubernatorial aspirant in Osun State, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), submitted his Nomination and Expression of Interest forms for the 2026 governorship election at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja.
Asiwaju Oyebamiji, accompanied by an unprecedented number of state and national leaders, officials, and critical stakeholders, submitted his form at exactly 5:00 p.m.
Argungu, represented by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, said the party is determined to “get it right” in the 2026 election by respecting the wisdom and guidance of the Osun Elders’ Council during the primary.
According to him, Osun State remains strategically important to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and must be reclaimed ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Osun is important because it is in the South West and it is also part of the State we want in our fold before the 2027 general election. Also, the President has a special interest in the State; therefore, we must get it right this time.
“We have elders in the Osun APC, and definitely, if we concede to the elders, we won’t lose the State, and we will get it right as well,” Argungu stated.
He also urged Oyebamiji and his supporters to continue to conduct themselves peacefully as the primary approach.
Speaking earlier, the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Surajudeen Ajibola Bashir, said the party must secure a decisive victory in the 2026 Osun governorship election.
Senator Ajibola, who recently stepped down as an aspirant ahead of the APC primary, noted that Osun remains one of the key states the party is determined to win convincingly.
He, however, urged party members to remain united before and after the primary election in order to ensure victory for the APC.
“We must deliver massively for President Bola Tinubu in 2027. It is one of the States that we are looking forward to winning with a very large margin.”
Speaking after submitting his forms, Asiwaju Oyebamiji declared himself the aspirant to beat in the December 13 primary, stressing that his professional and public service record sets him apart.
According to him, his track record in the banking sector, where he spent 28 years, his stewardship as Managing Director of Osun State Investment Company Limited (OSICOL), his tenure as a two-time Commissioner for Finance in Osun State, and his recent accomplishment as Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), speak volumes.
“I dare to tell you with modesty that I am an aspirant to beat to have resigned my appointment. I worked in the private enterprise, especially in the banking sector, for 28 years, and this is the sector where I was formed, which is a target-oriented sector.
“It is a sector that you just must be profitable, you must work it, and you must know your onion. I worked there, and I have my records, and I resigned from that opportunity to join the public sector. When I joined the public sector in 2012, I was made the managing director of a state investment company and the records are there for any of us here to verify. We did very well, and I’m proud of myself.
“After that, I was the managing director when I was appointed the Commissioner for Finance during former Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration, and we exceeded. I am a Commissioner for Finance without a blemish, and just like you said, I was appointed the managing director of NIWA. My two years in NIWA were fantastic. It was a record that has never been matched since the creation of that authority.
Politics
Crack In Edo APC As Group Accuses Party Chieftain Of Acting Opposition’s Script
All seems not well with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as a pro-APC group known as Sustainable Development and Progress accused a chieftain of the party, honourable Luqman Mohammed of playing the script of the opposition parties to destabilise the APC in Edo North Senatorial District.
This, according to the group, is responsible for the sharp division in Etsako West Local Government Area.
A statement by the spokesman of the group, Peter Mohammed, the body accused Mohammed and “his cohorts of convening a secret meeting at the residence of a top chieftain of the party where it was decided that the destabilization of the APC would begin from Edo North ahead of the 2027 General election.”
The cracks in the APC were sad to become obvious when Mohammed, who they claimed is an ally the immediate past Attorney- General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, (SAN), allegedly led some leaders to suspend Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the leader of ward 11 in Etsako West Local Government Area (Edo North ) of the state.
This action, according to the group, worsed an already tensed political situation in Edo North APC, and in retaliation, the suspended leader, Okwilague alongside other members moved against those that they claimed are behind the suspension—allegedly led by Mohammed.
The APC group also accused the former Edo State House of Assembly member of being a mole and a willing tool planted by the opposition leaders to destabilise the existing peace in the party.
The group alleged that “Luqman Mohammed attends APC meetings during the day and PDP’s meetings at night,” and vowed to expose and resist his efforts.
The group, while stating that Mohammed’s action amounts to “…working against the interest of the party,” alleged that “his recent outburst against the party was part of PDP and ADC’s plots and called for a thorough investigation of the weighty allegations.”
Meanwhile, a communique issued by the Ward Executive Committee and leaders
Etsako West Local Government Area, a resolutions, part of which is the suspension of some executive officers, and members.
The communique reads: “The ward 11 APC Executive Committee and leaders held a meeting on Monday 10 November, 2025 at 6:00 pm in the party secretariat Jattu-Uzairue Etsako West Edo State.
“The meeting aimed to discuss the following. The purported suspension ‘carryout’ (sic) by the Ward Chairman, Secretary and Youth Leader against Uzairue Leader Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.
“Anti-party activities fractionalizing and creating parallel party disobedience in carrying out lawful directives of the party. The meeting was focused to know if those allegedly suspended ‘violate’ article 21 of APC party constitution.
“It was unanimously agreed to set up a disciplinary committee to investigate and report back to the house which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino.
“According to the disciplinary committee set up which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino, the Ward Chairman Daudu Jafaru Abubuakar, the Ward Secretary Yusuf Bala Bello and Youth, leader Francis Aliu ‘contravene’ and violated the article 21 of APC party constitution thereby recommended immediate suspension for them.
“At the end of the investigation the Ward Executive Committee (WEC) considered the report of the disciplinary committee which was headed by Comrade Osumah Musa Afuosino. Having carefully reviewed the finding and recommendation, the Ward Executive Committee resolved to approve their immediate suspension from the APC in Ward Eleven.
“Their actions had undermined the unity and integrity of the party, warning them against identifying as a member or acting on behalf of the party in any capacity. The LGA, ‘part’, SEC party and NWC party should as a matter of urgency ratify the above ‘mention’ names.
“It was unanimously agreed again that the Vice Chairman Mrs. Josephine Dokpesi should immediately be the Acting Chairman in line with the APC party constitution and oversee the political affairs of the ward pending time lifting of the suspension of the above ‘mention’ names.
“The entire Ward Executive Committee of Ward Eleven passed an implicit and undiluted vote of confidence on our indefatigable leader, the person of Alhaji Shaka Okwilague aka Shamac.”
Reacting, Mohammed denied allegations leveled against him and blamed the crisis on outsiders who have invaded ward 11 where he is the number one leader, to impose their stooges.
The former Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu is also from the ward.
While defending himself via a telephone interview, the former Edo House of Assembly member and later Board member of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), frowned at the composition of the panel established by the State Working Committee to investigate the crisis in ward 11, especially the appointment of Mr. Blessing Agbonmere as head and Alhaji Shaka Okwilague, the suspended leader as member of the panel.
Mohammed said Okwilague cannot be a judge in his own case and that Agbonmere is an interloper working to implement a script.
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