By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said he will be the one to write condolence message of those that rumoured he collapsed at a function and was rushed to France.

Wike stated this while speaking with journalists after inspecting some ongoing projects to be commissioned at the 2nd anniversary in office of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in May.

He said there was nothing wrong with his health and he is sure that he is healthier than some of them that are spreading the rumour.

It would be recalled that it was rumoured by some online blogs that Wike last week collapsed while having a meeting and was rushed to France, adding that he had stroke.

The FCT Minister while responding to the rumour said, initially he didn’t want to dignified the rumour mongers with response, that is why he kept quiet, because it was to divert attention and it is all part of politics and therefore, he won’t be distracted.

According to Wike,  “I don’t want to give credence to people who are only interested in carrying rumours. First of all, I am a human being; it is not a ghost that will collapse. It is human beings that will collapse if there is any problem with their health not mine. Unfortunately, for them, I did not collapse and I did not show any sign that I have any health problem. Let me tell you what happened. What happened was that you saw that the former Head of Service (in Rivers state) came out to let the public know what was going on, how they planned to bomb the House of Assembly complex and how they planned to attack national assets. In order to divert attention from people not focusing on that, they had to bring one rumor that they not me, have been flown overseas.

“There was no time I collapsed; there was no time anybody took me overseas. But you see me everyday. The day Mr President broke iftar on his birthday, I was there. The next day, I led Abuja residents to pay Sallah homage. I see all those stories just died down. This is politics. We have thick skin. Those things don’t bother us. We are not distracted. We are focused on our jobs. So, I thank Nigerians for being worried, which it should be, but people should not wish their fellow human beings such a thing to happen. Even though everyone will die one day but it is only God that says the day you will die not any human being.

He noted, “So, you have seen that I am even healthier than most of them who carried that rumour and I will write their condolence letters. I can assure you that I will write their condolence letters. So, there is nothing like that.”

The FCT Minister, who visited the International Conference Center (ICC), Judges quarters, ongoing road project at Ghishiri, Apo, etc, said he is very satisfied with the pace of work and the various contractors handling the projects have all already assured him they will deliver the projects before the deadlines especially those that are to deliver for the 2nd anniversary of Mr. President.

On how his administration has been managing with funding these projects, he said, no resources is enough but it has to do with managing the funds you are provided.

“The contractors believe in us; they have confidence in us. I just paid some money to them this morning. So, it is about the management of the little resources. No resources can be enough. It is about the management. That is what they are saying on display. We are very happy that they are not complaining”, he said.

Some determined constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District on Thursday vowed never to back down on the recall process of Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the National Assembly.

Rather, they insisted that they would fine-tune the process.

The constituents, in a statement issued on Thursday by Salihu Habib, said there was no going back on their resolve to bring the Kogi senator back home.

They, however, thanked the Independent National Electoral Commission for validating 208,132 (43.

86 per cent) signatures in the petition earlier submitted to it for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall.

The renewed determination by the concerned constituents was sequel to INEC’s declaration of some defects in the recall petition they had hitherto presented to it.

INEC had, in a statement on its X handle on Thursday said the petition failed to meet the minimum requirement prescribed by the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The constituents, who are registered voters of Kogi Central, said that they had mobilised more than the 50 per cent plus one threshold of registered voters and submitted their petition with full documentation.

They, however, noted that the validation of 43.86 per cent by INEC was a confirmation that Kogi Central constituents had rejected the senator.

“Apparently, INEC cancelled not less than 35,000 signatures from the administrative signatures collected.

“We will liaise with INEC within the full ambits of the constitution and regulations to demand for transparency in the handling of our petition.

“We have utmost confidence in the commission not to subject the recall process to ambiguity or administrative opacity,” they said.

They expressed gratitude to INEC for proving naysayers, who queried the authenticity of their figures, wrong.

“We thank INEC for making it clear that the bulk of the people of Kogi Central are behind us and that we did not import a crowd like a desperate, embattled lawmaker,” they said.

The petitioners insisted that the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan “for misconduct and divisiveness” was non-negotiable.

“We are firm in our resolve to restore dignified and collaborative representation to Kogi Central senatorial district. We will no longer indulge someone who will do and say anything just to remain politically relevant.

“The whole of Nigeria watched her deceptive rally last Tuesday where she openly made comments capable of setting, not just Kogi State, but Nigeria ablaze.

“We will pursue all lawful and constitutional means to ensure our voices are heard and respected. After God, power belongs to the people,” they stated. (NAN)

Mr Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the 19 September governorship election in Edo, has said he will challenge the tribunal’s judgment at the Court of Appeal. The Edo election tribunal, sitting in Abuja on Wednesday, reaffirmed Gov. Monday Okpebholo’s victory and dismissed the petitions from the PDP and Ighodalo.

Ighodalo, in a statement in Benin, said his decision to challenge the judgment aimed to protect Edo people’s collective rights and ensure they freely determine their future. “Today, the Edo Governorship Election Petition Tribunal delivered its judgment on our petition challenging the outcome of the Sept. 21, 2024 election in our dear state. “While we may not all agree with the verdict, we remain steadfast in our belief that the rule of law must continue as democracy’s foundational bedrock. “Our pursuit of justice affirms our firm belief that Edo people’s right to freely choose their leaders through credible, free, and fair elections must always prevail. “As a committed democrat, I respect the judiciary as the last hope of the common man and urge all Edo people to remain peaceful, calm, and law-abiding,” he stated. Ighodalo said this was not the end of their journey but the beginning of a greater struggle for justice, democracy, and the sanctity of the people’s mandate. He commended the people for their massive support, sincere love, and belief in their shared vision for a prosperous Edo, which had fuelled their journey. “For us, this has never been about personal ambition but about our conviction to create a clear ‘Pathway to Prosperity’ for Edo while upholding democracy’s core values. “I have, therefore, instructed my legal team to proceed to the Court of Appeal to challenge this decision, which we consider a serious miscarriage of justice. “This is not about me or any single individual; it is about democracy’s essence, our collective right to determine our future, and our legacy for generations unborn. “We remain resolute. We remain committed. We shall not waver in our pursuit of truth and justice,” Ighodalo said. (NAN)