The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has inaugurated a national reconciliation and peace committee to strengthen unity, rebuild trust and resolve grievances ahead of 2027.

National Chairman of ADC, Sen. David Mark who performed the inauguration on Wednesday in Abuja named Sen.

Tunde Ogbeha as Chairman, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, South-South, Deputy chairman, Dr Ahmad Ajuji (North-East), member and Musa Elayo (North-Central), member among others.

Mark described the reconciliation as essential, saying it is to ensure every ADC member felt valued and carried along.

He said the ADC was founded on democracy, inclusion, justice, consultation and its handshake philosophy, which encouraged members to build bridges across political differences.

“Our recently concluded primaries produced winners, but they also produced disappointments and grievances. These are realities we must acknowledge and address clearly today,” he said.

He said an election might determine the party’s flag bearers, but should never determine who belonged to the party or remained valuable members.

“Those who did not emerge victorious still remain valuable members of the ADC. Their experience, networks, structures and commitment remain important assets,” Mark added.

He urged successful aspirants to recognise that victory came with responsibility, stressing that it was not a licence to exclude, humiliate or marginalise other members.

Mark said the party’s major challenge was building a united political platform capable of winning Nigerians’ confidence, rather than fighting members who contested against others.

The committee’s terms of reference according to Mark included engaging aspirants, candidates, leaders and stakeholders in constructive dialogue to identify grievances, address legitimate concerns and rebuild trust fully.

“I expect the committee to discharge this responsibility with fairness, neutrality, maturity, sincerity and confidentiality. Everyone must support this reconciliation process wholeheartedly,” he said.

He appealed to all leaders, state chairmen, zonal coordinators, candidates, aspirants and elected representatives to become ambassadors of reconciliation and reject internal sabotage and revenge.

He said the 2027 general elections would require a disciplined, coordinated and united ADC, adding that the party could not approach the polls.

“The ADC is bigger than any individual, aspirant, candidate or office. Our Handshake Philosophy requires us to reach across differences and build bridges,” he said.

He called on aggrieved members to give reconciliation a chance, candidates to extend fellowship, unsuccessful aspirants to remain committed, and leaders to lead by example.

Mark charged committee members to build bridges, heal wounds, restore confidence and unite members, urging them to work together for the country and its people.

In his acceptance speech, Ogbeha said he recognised the enormous responsibility before the committee and would do everything humanly possible to achieve the objectives.

“Our members must sacrifice and put Nigeria first, then the party and personal interests, because the 2027 election offers another opportunity for collective success.

Ogbeha assured the party leadership that they would uphold the oath with honesty, transparency, diligence and fear of God while pursuing justice, reconciliation, peace and unity

 From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Cross River State has disclosed that the command has arrested two men for allegedly leading an armed syndicate who terrorized licensed miners in Yakurr Local Council Area of the state and illegally made away with solid minerals.

The State Commandant, Okarazu Chima, made the disclosure in Calabar yesterday during interaction with journalists at the Command Headquarters in Calabar while parading the suspects.

According to the Commandant, operatives of the Corps stormed a mining site in Agoi Ibami, Yakurr LCA on August 19, 2026 following credible intelligence from members of the public.

During the raid, the operatives apprehended Stephen Ibiang Francis, 34, and Gideon Emmanuel Okoi, 24, both natives of Nkpani village in Yakurr. The suspects were found in possession of two locally fabricated firearms and materials suspected to be charms.

Okarazu said investigations revealed that the suspects were not just illegal miners but armed enforcers who had turned the mining site into a theatre of violence.

“They operate as armed enforcers,” the Commandant stated. “Their modus operandi involves heavily arming themselves with locally fabricated firearms and charms, and storming the mining sites at Agoi Ibami. They use these weapons to systematically terrorize, intimidate, and violently chase away licensed, legitimate miners from the site. Once the legal operators flee out of fear for their lives, these armed suspects and their cohorts take over the site to illegally mine and cart away precious solid minerals.”

He described the arrest as a major breakthrough in the Command’s “aggressive and ongoing kinetic operations against economic saboteurs” plundering the state’s solid mineral resources.

The NSCDC boss issued a stern warning to other illegal miners and armed syndicates operating in the forests of Cross River.

“Let this arrest serve as a definitive, uncompromising warning to all illegal miners and armed syndicates lurking in the forests of Cross River State. The era of intimidating legitimate investors and plundering our commonwealth is over,” he said.

“Solid minerals constitute Critical National Assets. To those who think they can bear unlicensed arms to enforce illegal mining operations: we have superior firepower, we have the intelligence network, and under the visionary leadership of the Commandant General, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, we will hunt you down.”

 Okarazu assured that legitimate and licensed miners would be given necessary security cover to operate peacefully and contribute to the state’s economic development.

He said the two suspects are currently in custody and have made useful statements. The Command, he added, is expanding investigations to track down the manufacturers of the firearms and other fleeing members of the syndicate.

“Once investigations are concluded, they will be charged to a court of competent jurisdiction for illegal possession of firearms, armed intimidation, and illegal mining,” he said.

The Commandant also commended members of the public whose tip-off led to the arrest, urging citizens to continue to volunteer information.

“When you ‘See Something and Say Something,’ you empower us to protect your communities,” he said.

The arrest comes amid growing concerns over illegal mining and the use of arms by criminal gangs to take over mining sites across the country.

By Laide Akinboade, Abuja

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has accused some governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of working against him ahead of the 2027 general elections, even as he declared an unwavering commitment to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.

Wike, who spoke on Wednesday during his monthly media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, specifically named Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and his Imo State counterpart, Hope Uzodimma, as governors with whom he has had political disagreements.

The FCT minister alleged that some APC governors were more interested in being seen as the President’s closest political allies than in doing the actual work required to secure victory for Tinubu in 2027.

“You see, the problem with people is that they want to be seen as the ones working for the President. I don’t do that,” Wike said.

Asked whether he was referring to the Kwara governor, he replied in the affirmative.

Wike accused AbdulRazaq of leading a campaign against him over allegations that he was sponsoring political candidates in Kwara State. He also questioned the political consequences of the governor’s decision to remove three senators and a member of the House of Representatives from the APC.

According to him, the affected lawmakers could defect to opposition platforms ahead of the 2027 election, potentially weakening Tinubu’s support base.

“Now, these senators you removed, you have no place for them. Therefore, do you prefer them to go to ADC or to go to PDP?” he asked.

Wike argued that politicians who move to opposition parties could eventually work against Tinubu, whereas those who remain politically aligned with him would support the President.

“If they come to me, obviously, they will vote for Mr President,” he said.

On his reported disagreement with Uzodimma, Wike maintained that the Imo governor was fully aware of the political support he had received from him in the past.

“The governor of Imo State knows the support I gave to him very well,” he said.

The minister also rejected allegations that he was sponsoring Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates across the states ahead of 2027. He disclosed that some APC governors had approached him with requests to ensure that the PDP did not field candidates in their states.

Wike said he rejected any suggestion that his support for Tinubu meant the PDP should abandon its candidates nationwide.

He, however, made it clear that his overriding political objective was to ensure Tinubu’s victory in 2027.

Wike said his open support for the President could make him a prime target of the opposition if Tinubu loses the election, but insisted that the prospect would not make him withdraw his support.

“Peradventure anything happens and Mr President fails, I will be the first politician that Atiku, Obi will hunt for his head,” he said.

The minister said he had no regrets about his political position, despite the criticism and attacks directed at him.

“I don’t see where anybody in this country today has been called names the way my name has been. I am not bothered about people who say their own thing. My business is, like I said, I am going to support Mr President,” he declared.

Wike said his commitment to Tinubu’s re-election had become a central focus of his political activities, stressing that he was prepared to bear whatever consequences might arise from his decision.

“Each day I sleep, I am thinking about the President’s re-election. When I am eating, I think about the President’s re-election. Everything I am doing now is about the President’s re-election,” he stated.