POLITICS
CP-PDP to Wike: “You’re Not Recognized as PDP Member”

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
The The Conference of Professionals in the PDP (CP-PDP) on Wednesday said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike has crossed the red line and he is no longer recognized as a bonafide member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Reacting to the recent outburst by Wike in his latest media parley wherein he boasted that no one has the guts to tell him that he is not a member of the PDP, the CP-PDP declared that he has lost his membership of party by his open cessation of subscription, loyalty and adherence to the mandatory Code of Conduct of members as enshrined under Section 10 (6) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).
In a statement signed by Obinna Nwachukwu,
Protem National Coordinator, CP-PDP, “For emphasis Section 10 (6) of the PDP Constitution unambiguously dictates that “No member of the party shall align with other parties or groups to undermine the party or any of its elected government”.
“It is instructive to state that the legal claim, validity or legitimacy of membership of any political party or any organization for that matter, is explicitly embedded in the uncompromised subscription and absolute loyalty by an individual to the enshrined Code of Conduct of the organization.
“The self-executory import of Section 10 (6) is that by publicly aligning with the APC and declaring to work for the victory of the APC in the 2026 FCT Council Election and the 2027 Presidential election, the FCT minister, has by such alignment and declaration renounced, relinquished and terminated his membership of the PDP.
“Moreover, the constant outbursts, hauling of insults on the party leaders and the recent declaration to ‘pull out of all agreements’ and ‘to fight’ in the PDP underpins a complete rejection of the letters and spirit of the Code of Conduct of the PDP which action can only be associated with a non-member of the PDP.
“Furthermore, as patriotic Nigerians, the CP-PDP is disturbed by the FCT Minister’s use of his media parleys as channel to attack our party leaders. Such only overheats the polity and creates apprehension in the polity.
“The CP-PDP as a well-meaning body has directed our media professionals to engage their colleagues in the media on ways to check this disturbing trend. It must also be noted that nobody has the monopoly of media outbursts.”
While admonishing Chief Wike to leave the PDP alone and face his job in the APC administration, the CP-PDP restates its challenge to Chief Wike to hold a live media public hearing and allow Nigerians to directly engage him on allegations of corruption, mismanagement of funds, land grabbing, racketeering, vindictive revocation and demolition of property as well as alleged exploitation of residents, commuters and businesses with heavy tariffs, multiple levies and fees going on in the FCT in the last two years.
Education
Varsity Don Advocates Establishment of National Bureau for Ethnic Relations, Inter-Group Unity

By David Torough, Abuja
A university scholar, Prof. Uji Wilfred of the Department of History and International Studies, Federal University of Lafia, has called on the Federal Government to establish a National Bureau for Ethnic Relations to strengthen inter-group unity and address the deep-seated ethnic tensions in Nigeria, particularly in the North Central region.
Prof.
Wilfred, in a paper drawing from years of research, argued that the six states of the North Central—Kwara, Niger, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, and Nasarawa share long-standing historical, cultural, and economic ties that have been eroded by arbitrary state boundaries and ethnic politics.According to him, pre-colonial North Central Nigeria was home to a rich mix of ethnic groups—including Nupe, Gwari, Gbagi, Eggon, Igala, Idoma, Jukun, Alago, Tiv, Birom, Tarok, Angas, among others, who coexisted through indigenous peace mechanisms.
These communities, he noted, were amalgamated by British colonial authorities under the Northern Region, first headquartered in Lokoja before being moved to Kaduna.
He stressed that state creation, which was intended to promote minority inclusion, has in some cases fueled exclusionary politics and ethnic tensions. “It is historically misleading,” Wilfred stated, “to regard certain ethnic nationalities as mere tenant settlers in states where they have deep indigenous roots.”
The don warned that such narratives have been exploited by political elites for land grabbing, ethnic cleansing, and violent conflicts, undermining security in the sub-region.
He likened Nigeria’s ethnic question to America’s historic “race question” and urged the adoption of structures similar to the Freedmen’s Bureau, which addressed racial inequality in post-emancipation America through affirmative action and equitable representation.
Wilfred acknowledged the recent creation of the North Central Development Commission by President Bola Tinubu as a step in the right direction, but said its mandate may not be sufficient to address ethnic relations.
He urged the federal government to either expand the commission’s role or create a dedicated Bureau for Ethnic Relations in all six geo-political zones to foster reconciliation, equality, and sustainable development.
Quoting African-American scholar W.E.B. Du Bois, Prof. Wilfred concluded that the challenge of Nigeria in the 21st century is fundamentally one of ethnic relations, which must be addressed with deliberate policies for unity and integration.
POLITICS
Bye-election: Exclude Our Party, Risk Nullification of Poll, Labour Party Cautions INEC

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
The leadership of the Labour Party has cautioned that if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) goes ahead to conduct the August 16, 2025 bye-election without publishing the names of its candidates, and ensuring that its logo appears on the ballot, it will seek the nullification of the election in line with the provision of the law.
The party has also called on well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the Prof Mahmood Yakubu led INEC to respect the Nigeria Constitution and the Electoral Law by discharging its duties as specified by the laws of the land and avoid wasting tax payers money. It accused INEC of working for interests that are anti democratic.In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, Labour Party said that by the electoral Act 2022, any political party which is excluded from participating in any election is expected to approach the court for remedy.I”NEC is gambling with the huge resources of the country which are being expended in the conduct of the bye-election that is scheduled to hold on the 16 of August, 2025. “We are not going to be helpless as the law has provided adequate remedies for any act or omission by the commission that has shortchanged the political party or put its image in disrepute. “A political party is expected to guard its image and reputation jealously and Labour Party will not take any conduct by any agency or regulatory body intended to rubbish its reputation lightly. “One wonders what interest INEC is protecting that will make it throw the entire country into unnecessary crisis and incurring such a colossal financial waste. “By virtue of the Supreme Court decision delivered on the April 4, 2025, the court stated that the issues of leadership is an internal affairs of the party and going by the internal mechanism of the party, the party has held a convention on the 27th of March 2024 at Nnewi, which produced the current leadership as led by Barrister Julius Abure. One wonders what the problem is with INEC.”INEC under Prof. Yakubu must respect the decisions of both the Supreme Court and the leadership of the Labour Party.”POLITICS
Abia APC Group Tackles Gov Otti Over N54bn ‘Phantom’ Projects in Schools

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
As the purported expenditure of over N54 billion by the administration of Governor Alex Otti on projects in schools in Abia State continues to generate controversy, a pro-All Progressives Congress (APC) group in the state has tasked the governor to give account of how the money was spent.
The group operating under the platform of the Abian’s Best Interest Association, also warned the governor not to contemplating joining the APC in the state. At a press conference Tuesday in Abuja titled “Where is Abia’s N54 billion?”, the Convener of the group, Hon. Barrister Eze Chikamnayo, said his group had visited several Local Government Areas in Abia state where they interacted with stakeholders on developmental issues before embarking on an on-the-spot inspection of public schools in particular.”In Ugwunagbo, LGA, schools visited included Ihie Community Primary School, Ihie Ukwu Primary School, Asa Umunka Primary School, and Ikem Migrant Farmers School. “In Isiala Ngwa South, the team inspected Nneise Primary School – Umuhu/Umuezu Nvosi, Umunkpeyi Primary School – Umunkpeyi Nvosi, and Obuba Primary School – Obuba Nvosi, Ikem Migrant Farmers School. “From our dispassionate observation, we wish to hereby unequivocally decry the deplorable state of infrastructure in these schools, amongst others, noting that the decay was even more alarming in Isiala Ngwa South – the acclaimed and very contentious Local Government of the sitting Governor, Mr Alex Otti “One wonders then, if charity no longer begins at home.”We went further to question the much-publicized ₦54 billion which appeared in the Abia State Budget Performance Report for the renovation and retrofitting of public schools for the year 2024 and stress that a Budget Performance Report, anywhere in the world, details accomplished projects and the actual amounts spent – not mere approved figures.”While accusing the Abia state Governor of undermining President Bola Ahmed Tinubu but claimed to be his supporters, Barr. Chikamnayo recalled that Governor Alex Otti as opposition leader had earlier promised that ‘under my watch, not a Kobo of Abia resources will be stolen’. “We now question how such words can be trusted when his administration thrives on non-disclosure and only tries to explain itself when prompted. “We further wish to express shock that the state government included “recruitment of teachers, buying chalks our teaching aids” among the items for which the ₦54 billion was supposedly spent. “When did employing teachers and purchasing instructional materials become capital projects?”We call on Abians to be vigilant, ask questions, and demand full accountability and transparency from the Alex Otti-led administration. “The future of our children is at stake, and no government should be allowed to mortgage it under the guise of inflated or questionable expenditure.”When asked whether the group will receive Alex Otti into APC if he decides to join, the APC group said: “He wants people to believe that he supports the president but the same time we know that in Abia state he is undermining Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. “As we speak, over N300 billion has come from President Tinubu reforms into Abia State government and all the local governments are grounded, castrated and completely insolvent.”We will not receive such a liability into APC. That is what we are saying. Nobody in APC Abia state wants anything called Alex Otti. He is a liability.”He said Abia state on Alex Otti has poorly funded public schools compared to its neighbours in the same south east states. “This lack of transparency and accountability we believe is a gross disservice to Abians.”The Abia Best Interest Association and indeed the APC Abia State, therefore, wishes to draw attention of the pubic to the fact that allocations and various intervention funds coming to Abia State from the Federal Government, have tripled since the inception of the President Tinubu’s Administration – wondering why there was still nothing tangible to show in the education sector in Abia State compared to the situation in Imo and Enugu States, where the government has rebuilt, modernized, and equipped public schools with visible results for all to see.”