COVER
NEC: PDP Govs Fume as Security Officials Block BoT Members
By Johnson Eyiangho, Abuja
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were visibly outraged yesterday after security operatives blocked access to the party’s National Secretariat at Wadata Plaza, forcing the relocation of a critical Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting to the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja’s Central Business District.
The blockade, reportedly carried out by security agents on ‘orders from above,’ prevented BoT members from accessing the National Executive Committee (NEC) hall and triggered accusations of political interference by the ruling- All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP BoT described the incident as an act of harassment and a deliberate attempt to sabotage its internal reconciliation efforts amid growing tensions over the party’s leadership crisis and factional divisions.Despite the disruption, the BoT meeting proceeded at the alternative venue and went into a closed-door session shortly after.BoT Chairman, Sen. Adolphus Wabara and Secretary Senator Ahmed Makarfi addressed the media briefly before the meeting commenced, expressing deep frustration and emphasising the urgency of unity within the party.Makarfi explained that he had initially arrived at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge, where a pre-meeting involving governors, National Working Committee members, and minority leaders of the National Assembly was scheduled to take place.“I arrived at 10:00 AM at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge as instructed. The meeting involved the Governors, the National Working Committee, and the National Assembly minority leadership. Its purpose was to bridge gaps within the party, ensuring we could convene as a united front at the planned NEC meeting rather than emerging divided.“The governors were visibly upset and questioned why such an embarrassment had occurred. By then, the Chairman had already made alternative arrangements, which is why it was decided to hold the meeting here to avoid further issues,” Makarfi said.He further condemned the interference, warning that it poses a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.“This kind of interference is unacceptable. It undermines our democracy and the rights of opposition parties to operate freely. We will not be deterred; we remain committed to resolving our internal issues and presenting a strong, united front to the Nigerian people,” he added.Wabara, in his remarks, described the blockade as an affront to the PDP and the democratic process.“This morning, I nearly stepped out of my car when I witnessed the treatment of some individuals. I told my driver, ‘No, move,’ as it was deeply embarrassing.“However, I urge everyone to remain patient. We must not allow this provocation to distract us from our mission to rebuild and strengthen our party,” he said.Wabara, in his remarks, described the blockade as an affront to the PDP and the democratic process.“This morning, I nearly stepped out of my car when I witnessed the treatment of some individuals. I told my driver, ‘No, move,’ as it was deeply embarrassing.“However, I urge everyone to remain patient. We must not allow this provocation to distract us from our mission to rebuild and strengthen our party,” he said.Wabara emphasised the historical significance of the meeting and the importance of transparency in party proceedings.He said, “Let me emphasise that this is a particularly special BoT meeting. I want it on record that it remains our 80th BoT meeting. We will proceed accordingly so that, in the future, when questions arise, people will understand the extraordinary circumstances under which it was held.“Despite the challenges, we are determined to uphold the principles of democracy and ensure that the PDP remains a viable alternative for Nigerians.”As the meeting got underway, Wabara urged members of the press to respect the confidentiality of the session.“I kindly ask the press to begin moving downstairs, as there will be no communiqué issued after this meeting. Please clear the house. We appreciate your understanding as we navigate these difficult times,” he said.The blockade and the relocation of the BoT meeting highlight the mounting pressure on the PDP as it attempts to resolve internal disputes while fending off alleged external interference.The incident comes just hours before the party’s much-anticipated 100th NEC meeting, further intensifying the stakes in the ongoing leadership crisis.NEC Reinstates Anyanwu as PDP National SecretaryThe 100th National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party has reinstated Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary.The PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, who spoke to journalists after the NEC meeting held in Abuja, announced that Anyanwu has been officially reinstated.Damagum further revealed that the 101st NEC meeting has been scheduled for July 23 to finalise arrangements for the upcoming national convention.The PDP has been struggling with internal conflicts since the 2023 presidential election, which have significantly impacted all arms of the party.The division became more pronounced after the party leadership wrote to the Independent National Electoral Commission on June 24, regarding the position of National Secretary, further escalating the crisis.PDP Fully United, No Factions, Coalitions – Bala MohammedChairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has declared that the PDP is united, dismissing any notion of factions, coalitions, or internal divisions within the party.Mohammed, who spoke at the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Monday, reaffirmed the PDP’s resolve to remain a formidable force in Nigeria’s political landscape, stating that the party is focused on delivering good governance and restoring public confidence.“This is a miracle of the PDP, the party that has history, pedigree, and the human capital to deliver Nigeria. We have been engrossed in controversies and challenges, not created by us, but created for us. Yet, we have been navigating them successfully, unlike the other parties,” Mohammed said.He praised the National Working Committee (NWC) for its efforts in resolving internal disagreements and strengthening party unity, noting that visible signs of discord had been addressed in recent weeks.“The NWC has collapsed all differences and wrangling. They met before this meeting. What you’ve been seeing in terms of press releases and counter-statements has stopped, and you will not see them again,” he said.Mohammed also acknowledged the role of the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Assembly caucuses, and state chapters in keeping the party united and effective, particularly at the grassroots level.“There is no element of wrangling in the state chapters. And that is where our strengths lie. We thank you, our state chairmen, for keeping the party alive, often with limited resources, and ensuring that PDP remains intact and functional,” he noted.Dismissing recent media reports of defections and internal rifts, Mohammed described such narratives as ‘cosmetic’ and designed to weaken the PDP’s image. However, he insisted that the party had remained resilient and cohesive.“The news of people leaving the party is all cosmetic. They were created to diminish us, but they have failed,” he said.He further reiterated that there is no need for any parallel stakeholders’ meetings or unofficial coalitions, asserting that the entire party leadership is now aligned with the NWC.“We are all on the same page. No excuse for coalition, no excuse to form any stakeholders’ meeting other than that of the NWC. We are solidly behind the NWC and the governors and will continue to work as the conscience of the party,” he stated.Mohammed further assured Nigerians and PDP supporters that the party would remain focused on delivering results and rebuilding trust.“Please be assured that we will not disappoint Nigerians and our teeming supporters. We are committed to our role as the conscience of the party and will continue working together to ensure the PDP succeeds,” he added.
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
As part of efforts to reposition the newspaper for optimum corporate performance, the management of Asset Newspapers Limited, Publishers of DAILY ASSET, has announced the appointment of David Torough as the Editor of the Abuja-based national daily.
A statement by the management said the appointments were part of the company’s new strategy to further penetrate the various states in the country and raise its readership and patronage.
“DAILY ASSET is widely acceptable across the country and to maintain our leadership position, we need to increase management presence, hence the need to create new Bureau offices in some locations outside Abuja and Lagos,” the statement quoted the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Dr Cletus Akwaya to have said.
In a statement yesterday, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the fast-growing daily, Dr. Cletus Akwaya said the appointment was part of the new strategy to properly situate the paper for better productivity.
“DAILY ASSET has a commitment with the Nigerian people. We are determined to weather the storm and give Nigerian readers a Newspaper that satisfies their yearnings and reading pleasure and we can only do that with the right set of professionals,” the statement said.
Akwaya, a former Commissioner of Information from Benue State said the difficult times being faced by Nigerians posed a great challenge to the media as the people deserved credible information with which to make choices.
“We have a bond with the people, to offer credible information at all times in the best tradition of the Nigerian Press and on this scale of objectivity, truth and fairness, we pledge to remain steadfast no matter the challenges,” Akwaya was quoted to have said.
He said the newspaper will maiantin its daily print run and circulation to all states of the federation and urged advertisers to take advantage of the deep penetration of the Daily Asset brand to send their messages.
Torough, the new Editor has had a steady rise in the Newspaper in the last five years.
A graduate of Mass communication of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Torough joined the company in 2022 as Benue State Correspondent. He was spotted for his brilliance and redeployed to Abuja the following year and promoted to Deputy News Editor. He was subswuently named Deputy Editor of the paper, a position he held until the recent appointment.
Torough has attended several journalistic workshops and trainings to properly equip himself for the task ahead.
The statement also said the Management named Eze Okechukwu as Deputy Editor.
Before his elevation as Deputy Editor, Eze has been Deputy Politics Editor and DAILY ASSET Newspaper correspondent covering the Senate, having joined the organization in 2021.
Born on March 10, 1975, Eze holds a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Eze began his journalism career with Daily Star, Enugu and later worked with Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja as sports reporter.
Aside from his journalistic excellence, he has a great deal of passion for sports.
From Ngutor Dekera, Kaduna and Aliyu Askira, Kano
Northern governors and traditional rulers yesterday called for the suspension of mining activities across the region for six months, blaming illegal mining for worsening insecurity in many states.The resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
The meeting, chaired by the Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, had in attendance the 19 northern governors and chairmen of the 19 states’ traditional councils. The Forum expressed concern over the escalating violence in parts of the North, including the killings and abductions recently recorded in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano states, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.“The Forum extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the governments and good people of the affected states,” the communiqué said, noting that the attacks on schoolchildren and other citizens had become “unacceptable tragedies” that required urgent collective action.It commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as the Federal Government’s “firm response” to recent abductions and insurgency threats, especially the rescue of some abducted pupils.The governors also saluted security agencies for their sacrifices on the frontlines.“We resolved to renew our support for every step taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief to take the fight to insurgents’ enclaves in order to end the criminality,” the Forum stated.A major highlight of the meeting was the North’s renewed push for the establishment of state police, with governors and traditional rulers insisting that decentralised policing had become inevitable.“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of state police,” the communiqué added, urging federal and state lawmakers from the region to “expedite action for its actualisation.”On illegal mining, the governors said criminal mining networks were fuelling violence and providing resources for armed groups.As a corrective measure, they asked Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to impose a six-month suspension of mining activities in order to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.“The Forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria. “We strongly recommend a suspension of mining exploration for six months to allow proper audit and to arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining,” it said.To strengthen the fight against insecurity, the governors also announced the creation of a regional Security Trust Fund.Under the proposed arrangement, each state and its local governments will contribute ₦1bn monthly, to be deducted at source under an agreed framework.They said the fund would help provide sustainable financing for joint operations, intelligence-driven interventions and coordinated security responses across the region.At the end of the meeting, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to unity and collective responsibility.“Only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us,” it declared.The Forum agreed to reconvene on a date to be announced.Meanwhile, Nigeria’s worsening security crisis took a grim turn on Monday as bandits launched fresh attacks in Kano State, abducting 25 villagers, even as the Federal Government raced to secure the release of more than 300 Catholic school children kidnapped in Niger State.In the early hours of Monday, armed bandits invaded Unguwar Tsamiya—popularly called Dabawa—in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, whisking away nine men and two women after shooting into the air and assaulting residents. The attackers also rustled two cows.A resident lamented the community’s helplessness: “We cannot do otherwise; most of us cannot leave because we have nowhere to go. This is our place, our land and everything is here.”The assault came less than 24 hours after a similar attack on Yan Kamaye in Tsanyawa LGA, a community along the volatile Katsina border.In Niger State, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has assured distraught families of St. Mary’s Co-Education School, Kontagora that the more than 300 students and staff abducted on November 21 will return home “soon.” Ribadu, who led a high-level federal delegation to the school on Monday, said the abductees are safe, though he offered no specifics on their location or the status of rescue operations.According to Daniel Atori, spokesman for the Catholic bishop overseeing the school, the NSA reassured officials: “The children are where they are and will come back safely.”The St. Mary’s attack is part of a worrying resurgence of mass kidnappings reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction. Security analysts warn that banditry has evolved into a “structured, profit-seeking industry,” with hundreds of Nigerians abducted in November alone.The Kontagora school abduction occurred the same week 25 girls were kidnapped in Kebbi State—victims who authorities say have since been rescued through “non-kinetic” means. About 50 of the St. Mary’s hostages have also managed to escape.Ribadu’s delegation, which included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the freedom of all abducted citizens.As communities from Kano to Niger continue to bear the brunt of these violent incursions, the escalating spate of kidnappings underscores the urgent national demand for a more decisive and coordinated security response.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will face a team of interrogators at its office daily throughout December.A credible source in the EFCC said on Monday that the daily appearance was part of an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of an alleged 490 million dollars Abacha loot secured through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) request.
The source said that Malami, who was summoned for interrogation by the EFCC on Saturday, was barred from leaving Nigeria for the next one month.According to the source, one of the conditions for his release on Saturday was that he should report daily to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation.The source said Malami would have to appear daily at the anti-graft office due to the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him.”We seized his passport, it is the normal routine during investigation, but he has to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day for the next month.”He will be reporting for further investigation throughout December.”He will be reporting every day, starting from Dec. 1st to Dec. 31st.He will appear before the team of investigators for the entire month of December.”He will be reporting to EFCC for investigation for the period because of the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him,” the source added.According to the source, a fact sheet on the former minister revealed that Malami had several issues to clarify with the EFCC within the coming weeks.“We have asked him to explain the whereabouts of the $490 million Abacha loot secured through MLAT.“We didn’t say he stole money, but he should account for the loot. This is one of the issues he will clarify to our investigators.”The commission cited the large volume of documents he must review and the need for extensive interviews as reasons for seizing his passport.The source said EFCC would not engage in a war of words but would release its findings after a thorough investigation.Malami, in a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, on Monday in Abuja, however, described the EFCC investigation as a political witch‑hunt.He confirmed he honored an EFCC invitation on Nov. 28, describing the engagement as fruitful and expressing confidence that the probe would vindicate him.Malami described the EFCC’s allegations as baseless, illogical and devoid of substance, insisting they collapse under factual scrutiny.
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