The elders forum of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers state has apologised to Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), over the rift between him and Siminalayi Fubara, governor of the state.

Wike and Fubara have been involved in a political tussle over control of the party’s structure in Rivers state.

The rift between both politicians has created two factions in the Rivers house of assembly — with each camp electing a speaker loyal to the minister and the governor.

Boma Iyaye, executive director of finance at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), apologised to Wike during an event organised by Ijaw people in the state on Saturday.

Iyaye appreciated Wike for making someone of the Ijaw extraction the governor of Rivers state.

“On behalf of our people, we are apologising to you for what our son is doing to you. We are sorry because it is not in our nature to pay evil for good. You have done well for us, and we will continue to say thank you” he said.

“Your Excellency, do not, because of this bad behaviour of our son, run away from us. Continue to be our brother. Continue to have us in mind. We have never set our feet on the number one seat of Rivers state. You made it possible for us to become the governor of Rivers state.”

On his part, Ferdinard Anabraba, chair of the elders forum, criticised Fubara for “lack of political discharge”, adding that the Ijaw community do not support of his actions.

“The aberration we are seeing in the administration of Rivers State is only a demonstration of lack of political discharge of an individual, and by no means the opinion of Ijaw people,” he said.

“We, the Ijaw, see you as the light of Rivers State. You are indeed a notable strategist in Nigeria’s contemporary politics. And without doubt, you are the most celebrated Ijaw politician of national recognition.”

1. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Zamfara State Command, has dismissed ASCII Maikano Sarkin-Tasha over his alleged collaboration with bandits terrorizing the state. The suspect was alleged to have been supplying hard drugs and ammunition to the terrorists. The State Commandant, Sani Mustapha, disclosed this while briefing newsmen.

2. The Federal Government has declared Tuesday, October 1, as a public holiday to commemorate the nation’s 64th Independence Day Anniversary. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made this declaration in a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, on Saturday in Abuja.

3. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has mocked supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Peoples Party (APP) ahead of the October 5 local government election.

Speaking in Port Harcourt on Saturday, Wike expressed surprise that members of the PDP loyal to the governor could defect to APP, stating that he will teach them a lesson.

4. The Deputy Manager of the Command and Control Centre of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Murtala Muhammad, has disclosed that more than 8,000 illegal refineries have been destroyed within the last six months in the country. Speaking on Saturday in Abuja during a stakeholders’ engagement session, Muhammad also said 5,800 illegal oil pipeline connections were detected and destroyed within the same period.

5. Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in last year’s general election, Peter Obi, has said the security challenges bedeviling Africa are directly linked to poverty, with over 50% of the population being multi-dimensionally poor.

6. A notorious Boko Haram terrorist, Bochu Abacha, has surrendered to troops of the Multinational Joint Task Force deployed in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. A statement on Saturday by the Information Officer of the MNJTF, Lieutenant Colonel Olaniyi Osoba, noted that the terrorist admitted to being a notorious Boko Haram member who participated in several operations along the Monguno–Baga axis of the state.

7. Operatives of the Adamawa State Police Command have arrested a man for allegedly impersonating a police officer and extorting money from the public. The suspect, identified as 26-year-old Shafiu Abdulkadir, a resident of Anguwan Yelwa in Yola North Local Government Area, was apprehended on Thursday.

8. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) said that crude oil production output of three million barrels per day is achievable, up from the current 1.7 million. The Chief Corporate Communications Officer (CCCO) of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, stated this in an address at a stakeholders’ engagement session for journalists covering the National Assembly in Abuja.

9. An investigative report by FIJ reveals that social media influencer and crossdresser, Bobrisky, spent only three weeks of his sentence in prison and the rest in a secret location. According to the FIJ report, while Bobrisky was indeed taken to Kirikiri prison in April after his sentence was pronounced, the report disclosed that he left after just three weeks.

10. Operatives of the Katsina State Police Command, in collaboration with soldiers, have foiled two different kidnap attempts in the state. This was disclosed in a statement by ASP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, the Public Relations Officer of the Katsina Police Command, on Saturday.

Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo state, has asked Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), not to “put fire” in his state.

Wike, in August, had warned governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against interfering in the affairs of the party in Rivers state.

Wike and Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rivers state, have been at loggerheads over the control of the party’s political structure in the state.

The rift between both chieftains of the PDP has created two factions in the Rivers house of assembly, with each camp electing a speaker loyal to the minister and the governor.

Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi state and chair of the PDP Governors’ Forum, had said the party’s structure in Rivers state will be handed over to Fubara.

Displeased by Mohammed’s comment, Wike said he would “put fire” in the states controlled by governors of the PDP siding with Fubara.

Mohammed would later reply to the FCT minister’s threat, saying he had enough water to quench Wike’s fire.

But speaking on Saturday at an event organised in honour of the minister by the Ijaw Peoples Congress in Port Harcourt, Makinde pleaded with Wike to spare Oyo state should he decide to make bold his threat.

“I came to identify with my brother, the celebrant of today, the honourable minister of the federal capital territory and the immediate past governor of Rivers state,” Makinde said.

“When I showed up yesterday, I told him I brought peace offering because he has been boasting that he will put fire in some states. I said, please, don’t put fire in Oyo state.”

‘I’M BIGGER THAN ALL OF YOU’

Addressing the crowd, Wike said he is more powerful than all the governors siding with Fubara.

“All those who are moving around saying they are supporting somebody… you know it is not correct. You know some people don’t have shame. I cannot serve your boy,” Wike said.

“Now, they are not even waiting, they are even rushing after the boy. They are not even waiting for the boy to call them. They are now rushing to the boy. People don’t have integrity.

“Don’t ever think that they’re fighting me. They are not fighting me. I am too big. If you don’t recognise somebody bigger than you, you know you are sick. I’m far bigger— all of them put together. They cannot stand it.

“When people said they will put hand here (in Rivers). I told them: if you come here and put your hand, hand too will enter your place (state). Now they are crying.”

Wike claimed that the PDP lost the governorship election in Edo to the All Progressives Congress (APC) because governors of the party lacked strategy.

“Instead of them (governors) concentrating on how they would win election in their state, they were holding meetings elsewhere to discuss Rivers state,” he said.

“Who is the loser? This is a warning to others. Don’t touch Rivers state. It is a special state to God.”