“Stop chasing shadows” – Obi’s camp fires back at Soludo over anti-Obi campaign

The political feud between the camp of former Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi, and the administration of Governor Chukwuma Soludo has escalated dramatically following a sharp counterpoint from Obi’s Media Adviser, Mr Idris Zekeri Jnr., Spokesman, Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR).

Reacting to a publication emanating from the state’s ruling circle urging the Anambra electorate to reject Obi and the opposition, the media office dismissed the move with heavy scorn. Citing traditional Igbo philosophy—adighi ibua ayi ara (you do not join a mad person in the public square)—the camp maintained they chose silence over a full-scale exchange to avoid dignifying what they termed institutional absurdity.

Lifting the lid on internal dysfunction within the state’s leadership, Zekeri revealed that insiders in the administration had recently lamented that Governor Soludo spends half of executive council (EXCO) meetings obsessing over Peter Obi, treating his fixation on Obi as more vital than pressing state matters. Adding a searing punchline, Zekeri remarked that if the governor’s obsession borders on clinical psychosis, stakeholders should promptly advise him to seek professional psychological aid rather than dragging the entire state into his mental fixations.

The statement lamented that as his obsession becomes magnified, the state is falling apart. Citing a recent meeting held in Port Harcourt, he pointed out that the National emergency agency explicitly noted that Anambra only truly had it good under Obi, managing disasters and public safety with utmost competence. They were talking about the state’s preparedness for the recent flood that took lives in the state. “The only reason they gave to justify what the flood destroyed was that NIMET announced the impending flood, after they failed to follow the preemptive NINET prescribed.”

He recalled that as Governor, Obi uniquely engaged the UN-Habitat to formulate comprehensive master and structure plans for the state’s major cities, rigorously implementing them to the extent that by 2010, Onitsha was globally recognised among the fastest-growing cities in the world. Yet, rather than building on such visionary foundations, Soludo has completely abandoned these structural frameworks, choosing instead to focus his energy on petty political planning against Obi.

Zekeri further alleged that the state administration recently mobilised a cyber-army of over 500 internet trolls dedicated solely to attacking Peter Obi, with recruits supposedly promised the right to nominate cronies for state engagement, scaling the network up to 1,000 operatives based on hit-piece performance. The Obi camp slammed the strategy as a gross misallocation of state resources, lamenting that public funds are being aggressively funnelled into digital vandalism while governance issues pile up. Pre-empting what they described as a predictable scapegoating script, the media office stated they were putting the administration on formal record so officials could not tomorrow claim Peter Obi was the phantom distraction keeping them from working.

“Instead of obsessing over Obi, the governor should use those hours to tour Anambra and see how state funds are being wasted on roads that crumble while construction is still ongoing,” the statement fired. Pointing to massive grassroots receptions—such as the large turnouts at the Nnewi Cathedral and the coronation of the Igwe of Adazi-Ani—the camp challenged the administration to read the political room, stressing that no amount of propaganda can erase the deep-seated bond between Ndigbo and Peter Obi.

Against this backdrop, Zekeri formally called on Anambra elders, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and key stakeholders to urgently call Governor Soludo to order, advising him to face the pressing issues of governance and stop self-destructing through needless distractions.

Tearing into the state’s economic scorecard, the media office contrasted Soludo’s administration with the benchmarks established during Obi’s tenure, highlighting independent indices like the Phillips Consulting State Performance Index, where Anambra has nosedived from 1st position during Obi’s era down to 27th position under the current watch. The statement underscored that while Obi operated on a lean average federal allocation of about 3 billion monthly, Soludo now commands a combined allocation of roughly ₦25 billion monthly – meaning the current government receives in just two months what Obi managed in an entire year.

Anambra people are aware that his Commissioner for Finance was his houseboy. Why would things not go wrong?

The camp queried why higher institutions have not seen a single new building erected or positive intervention directed to schools since Obi left office, with recent NECO results showing the state slipping back down from previous historic highs. Lamenting that the state is allegedly being branded one of the dirtiest in the country while ecological erosion ravages communities with zero effective combat, the statement concluded that when a leadership facing monumental challenges chooses obsession with an individual over governance, something is seriously wrong.

Helicopter ‌‍‌‌‍⁠⁠‍‌‍‍‌‍⁠‌crashes into swamp in Ondo

A helicopter crashed into a swamp near Naval Base in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday.

The incident occurred at about 11.00a.m during heavy down pour, throwing the coastal community into panic.

The number of people on board of the helicopter was yet to be officially confirmed, while the condition of possible survivors cannot be confirmed.

Confirming the incident, Mr Morris Oripenaiye, the Chairman of the local government, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview that he could not ascertain the number of the victims.

Oripenaye also said he was yet to ascertain the identity of the crashed helicopter and the passengers.

“It happened during the heavy rainfall at about 11.00a.m. I cannot confirm the number of the people on board.

“I have deployed some youths to the area for rescue purpose,” he told NAN.

Similarly, the Police Command in Ondo State while confirming the crash, said details surrounding the incident were still emerging.

The command in a statement by its spokesperson, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, in Akure, said efforts were ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash.

NCC’s Communiqué From Nigeria Digital Connectivity Investment Forum 2026

“The Command urges members of the public, particularly residents of Igbokoda and adjoining communities, to remain calm and refrain from circulating unverified information.

“The public will be duly informed as soon as further credible information becomes available,” it stated. theconclaveng

A memo to Nigeria’s National Peace Committee on its relevance

By Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

AS Nigeria marked 66 years of independence on 1 October, the Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarrett Tenebe, turned prayerful. Mr Tenebe is not a priest, pastor, or an Imam. He claims to be a professional politician. Ordinarily, that should mean that he is interested in votes and in voters. But those do not apparently concern him.

Mr Tenebe’s public induction into the Prayer Warriors’ Hall of Fame has context. The governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, has repeatedly and with increasing vigour promised a haul of 2.5 million votes from Edo State for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential elections. He is that exact.

So, on Independence Day, Jarrett Tenebe turned to prayers to underscore that promise as non-negotiable. He did not pray for powers of persuasion or performance to convince the voters of Edo State. Instead, his prayers were for “those who do not wish Edo APC well” in its pursuit of the governor’s promise. “So, anybody who refuses”, he continued, “who wants to stand in our way, for us not to have those votes that we intend to give to Mr President, AK-47 fire.”

This was surely not your standard campaign stump speech. It was a threat directed at the voters and fits a recent pattern of similar utterances by leading members of the ruling party all over the country.

Two months ago, the APC Senator representing Osun East in the upper chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly, Francis Fadahunsi, opened the season of violence on the eve of the off-cycle governorship election in the state. The incumbent governor (and eventual winner) in the contest, Ademola Adeleke, ran on the ticket of the Accord Party. Ahead of polling day, Senator Fadahunsi, addressing his party supporters, described the yellow-coloured cap worn by supporters of the Accord Party as “Yellow Fever cap; it is the cap of an animal.” He proceeded to exhort them: “So, we have come to tell you, up till the day of the election, if we see them, kill them.”

The following day, the Nigeria Police Force reportedly invited the Senator to a meeting. Not much was heard thereafter of what transpired, if any.

At the end of the same month of August, the Chairman-elect of the Kuje Area Council in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Danjuma Shekwolo, let it be known for the benefit of residents of the local government that “it’s either you are for the APC, or you leave the area council.” He did not mean that as an endearment. For the record, Nigeria’s constitution prohibits internal banishment.

One week later, youthful heavies chanting the name of a state governor, a Catholic priest, blocked the road and prevented Peter Obi, an opposition candidate for the presidency, from visiting communities in Benue State. The priest-governor was not at Mass.

Similar threats or actual acts of violence involving the ruling party and its supporters or senior surrogates have been reported in other Nigerian states, including Delta, Enugu, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, and Rivers.

In response to this pattern, law enforcement and the security agencies have been eloquently silent, as has the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Yet, under section 132(b) of the Electoral Act, it is a felony for any person to inflict or threaten to inflict “by himself or by any other person, any minor or serious injury, damage, harm or loss on or against a person to induce or compel that person to vote or refrain from voting, or on account of such person having voted or refrained from voting.” A person convicted of this crime may be punished with imprisonment for up to three years.

That will not happen, however, if the security and law enforcement agencies continue in their complicit silence.

In the absence of action by law enforcement, it has been left to newspapers to call attention to the dangers in the pattern of violent intimidation and threats from the ruling party.

Last month, the Editorial Board of the Punch called attention to “a disturbing and increasingly dangerous belief among some Nigerian politicians that political power confers the right to intimidate, threaten and silence citizens.” The newspaper warned that “such conduct is not politics; it is an assault on democracy, citizenship, and basic decency.”

There is, however, something more troubling than the practised indifference of law enforcement and security agencies.

One week after the Osun State governorship elections in August, at the formal onset of the general election campaign season, the presidential candidates of all parties met in Abuja to sign a “Peace Accord” ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. Under the Accord, they undertook “to shun violence, hate speech, misinformation, personal attacks and other conduct capable of undermining the electoral process.”

The Peace Accord is the initiative of what increasingly looks like an ostentatiously named National Peace Committee (NPC). It is led by former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar and has Ebitu Ukiwe, second-in-command during the early years of the regime of Ibrahim Babangida, as the Vice-Chair. Other members include the Sultan of Sokoto; John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the former Catholic Archbishop of Abuja; business moguls, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola; nonagenarian and publisher of Vanguard newspaper, Sam Amuka; and former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Priscilla Kuye.

This NPC is coordinated by Dr Matthew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, with its secretariat at the eponymous Kukah Centre.

Following the latest signing of the Peace Accord in Abuja, the NPC has taken the accord to the political parties in the various states. The enthusiasm of the committee may be admirable, but its promise is lacking in both belief and benchmarks. Also, two main presidential candidates – sitting President Bola Tinubu of the APC and former Vice-President Abubakar Atiku – were conspicuously absent at the signing ceremony.

The only thing more deafening than the indifference of security and law enforcement to the rising violence and threats of violence in the current campaign season is the silence of the NPC. Having got the parties to sign up to an accord committing to supposedly peaceful elections, the committee appears to have declared victory and deplaned. Their Peace Accord is devoid of any benchmarks of performance, monitoring, compliance, or fulfilment. At best, it is a collective act of wishful thinking. Moreover, the continuing silence of the NPC encourages a perception that their accord is a tool to protect a violent incumbency project.

That is dangerous. The NPC has had enough practice in unmonitored Peace Accords over the past decade in elections of various kinds, both general and off-cycle. None has held up. Under their watch, Elections have increasingly become murder Olympiads in which competitors – usually led by the incumbent party – declare open season on voters and the voting process under the committee’s dutiful silence. After each election, the committee indulges in ritual self-congratulation until the next vote, when it runs a rinse-and-repeat.

It is increasingly self-evident that these agreements advocated or mediated by the NPC have neither accord in their intent nor peace in view. If the committee wishes to be taken seriously, at least three things must change and urgently too.

First, it must end its complicit silence and lead or construct an active civic coalition to face down acts or threats of violence by all sides. An NPC that continues to observe a self-imposed code of Omerta in the face of acts and threats of violence against voters and their communities is not neutral. It supports violence.

Second, it will be necessary to review the membership of the Committee. People like Femi Otedola and Aliko Dangote, whose exposure to the government of the day is incalculable, have a duty to stand down in favour of more credible figures of impartiality. It is not even in their interests to claim non-partisanship. They are not.

Third, the Committee must establish clear benchmarks for monitoring, compliance, and public reporting on observance as well as breach of the Peace Accord or lack thereof. Without these, the Committee may be best served by an honest admission that its mission has passed its sell-by date. Honest admission in this circumstance would be an act of courage. To persist in the present course would be deceit.

A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu

ICPC, AGF ask court to dismiss El-Rufai’s N1bn suit

⁠‍‌‍THE Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has prayed the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a N1 billion rights suit filed by former Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State over alleged refusal to allow him access to his family members.

The Attorney-General of the Federal (AGF), also in a separate counter affidavit, urged that the suit, which has been assigned to Justice Chigozie Onah, be dismissed, arguing that the ICPC is empowered to put in place protocols within its facilities to prevent breach of security.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the detained ex-governor had instituted the suit against the ICPC, its Chairman, Musa Aliyu, SAN, and the AGF as 1st to 3rd respondents respectively.

El-Rufai, in the originating motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1852/2026 and filed by Ubong Akpan on Aug. 13, sought a N1 billion in damages for allegedly preventing him from having access to his wife, Mrs Aichatou Asabe; and son, Abba El-Rufai, while in custody.

The former governor, who alleged that his wife and son were denied to see him, sought nine reliefs.

He prayed the court to declare that his fundamental human rights guaranteed under Part IV of the 1999 Constitution (as amended} remain inviolable and in force notwithstanding his detention by the commission and should be honoured.

Responding in a joint counter affidavit filed by the ICPC and its chairman but deposed to by John Uche, a Chief Anti-Corruption Assistant in the Internal Security Support Unit, they said that many paragraphs in El-Rufai’s affidavit in support of his suit, were false.

Uche averred that the applicant (El-Rufai) was in the lawful custody of the commission by order of the Federal High Court (FHC), Kaduna Judicial Division in charge number: FHC/KD/73C/2025.

He said on July 7, in compliance with the order of the Kaduna FHC, permitting access to El-Rufai’s personal physician, the commission facilitated a medical visit to his personal physician accompanied by their officers and his wife, Asabe.

He said shortly after the hospital visit, the ICPC received reports that the said medical visit was turned into a political meeting in breach of its security protocol demonstrating that the existing access control environment was vulnerable.

He said against this development, the commission adopted a temporary-access control measure temporarily restricting non-essential access to the ex-govenor because unrestricted access presented a continuing risk until the vulnerability was understood and adequately mitigated.

The officer said as this was happening on July 7, El-Rufai’s son, Abba, came to their office requesting to visit his father and approached him (Uche) at his desk.

According to Uche, I then contacted my superior, Mr Henry Hwande, who instructed that I find out the purpose of his visit.

He said he made the enquiry and was told that it was a regular visit and the information was relayed to his superior who instructed that Abba should wait in the commission’s waiting area.

He said while El-Rufai’s son was waiting, Asabe met him (Abba) and after conversing with him began raising her voice and demanding that Abba be granted access to his father.

“That my colleague, Miss Titilayo Remi, tried to speak and reason with her to de-escalate the situation but she was uncooperative.”

Uche said several minutes later, Abba attempted to proceed into the commission’s building, but he quickly stood in his way to prevent him and Asabe from gaining access.

“That while being focused on preventing him from gaining access, I fell into a ditch where my leg trapped and I called out for help at which point the applicant’s son and Aichatou Asabe continued to make their way towards the building’s entrance, as captured by the CCTV footage.

“That my cry for help attracted the security personnel who then swung into action to prevent the unauthorised entry of the applicant’s son while Aichatou Asabe gained access into the building and headed for the detention area.

“That after he was prevented from gaining entry into the building, the applicant’s son lay in the gutter and repeatedly rubbed his leg against the edge of the gutter.

“That the 1st respondent has Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras installed at various strategic locations within and around its office premises for security and monitoring purposes, which cameras record activities and events occurring with their respective fields of view.”

He said that the contents of the storage system, including the CCTV recordings, remained accurate and were not altered or tampered with during the material period.

Uche said that following a second security breach on July 7, the ICPC determined that its existing access arrangements were no longer adequate warranting an urgent review.

The officer said during the course of the review, the commission uncovered another security breach involving Asabe.

He said that Asabe was allegedly smuggled into the ICPC’s premises on Saturday, July 4 at about 7:35pm after official visiting hours with the connivance of some officers of the commission, who are currently facing disciplinary action.”

He said that based on Asabe’s repeated disregard for access control protocols, the commission determined that her continued access posed a specific security risk.

“As such, her visiting access to the applicant was temporarily suspended pending completion of the security review and implementation of appropriate mitigation measures.”

He said he was informed by Mr Henry Hwande, Head of the Internal Security Support Unit, on Aug. 26, which he believed to be true, that:

“On July 8, Asia Ahmed El-Rufai one of the applicant’s wives wrote requesting audience with the Director of Operations following the incident of 7th July, 2026.

“Further to the letter, the Director of Operations alongside Mr Henry Hwande met with Asia Ahmed El-Rufai and a counsel by name, Mr Aremu, at the Director Operations office on July 9.

“One of the issues discussed at the meeting was the denial of access to Aichatou Asabe to which the Director Operations responded that there was an ongoing investigation and Aichatou Asabe was temporarily suspended from accessing the 1st respondent’s premises until same was completed.

“The 1st respondent, having earlier responded to the issue of Aichatou Asabe’s temporary denial of access, did not see the need to respond to the letter of 16th July, 2026 as nothing new had come up,” he said.

He said contrary to El-Rufai’s claim, other members of his family, including his son who was refused entry on July 7, had severally been granted access to visit him bringing meals, medication and other necessary supplies after the July 7 incident.

Uche, who attached a copy of the commission’s visitors log as “Exhibit ICPC D,” to prove their case, said it would be in the interest of justice to dismiss the detained ex-governor’s claim against the 1st & 2nd respondents.

The AGF, in its counter affidavit filed on Sept. 11 and deposed to by Oni Michael, an Administrative Officer in Civil Litigation and Public Law Department of Federal Ministry of Justice, denied some of the averments in El-Rufai’s affidavit.

Michael stated that the AGF, listed as 3rd respondent, is not saddled with the responsibility of arresting and/or detaining any person suspected to have committed any crime whatsoever, including El-Rufai, and neither does he maintains a detention facility.

“That the alleged infringement of the applicant’s right was not done by the 3rd respondent in any way whatsoever as he is not responsible for the maintenance and control of the 1st and 2nd respondents’ detention facility.”

The admin officer further stated that the AGF was not part of the alleged events of July 7 and at no time did he deny El-Rufai’s family members access to him.

According to Michael, the order of Hon. Justice R.M. Aikawa solely directed the 1st and 2nd respondents to allow the applicant access to his counsel and personal physician.

“That the attached order did not include access to Aichatou Asabe or any other person.

“That the 1st and 2nd respondents are empowered to put in place protocols within their facilities to prevent breach of security,” he said.

The officer submitted that maintenance of serious security protocols at the ICPC’s detention facility is a matter of national security.

Michael said he was informed by Mosunmola Yetunde, lawyer to ICPC, of the following facts which he verily believed to be true that the commission in compliance with court order allowed El-Rufai access to his personal physician accompanied by ICPC’s officers and Asabe, his wife.

“That the medical meeting turned into a political meeting.

“That the 1st respondent adopted a temporary access control measure which resulted in temporarily restricting non-essential access to the applicant due to vulnerability risk.

“That the restriction put in place was to ensure serious security protocol, necessary for the maintenance and control of the 1st respondent’s detention facility.

“That it became necessary flowing from the events of July 7 to review the CCTV Security footage of Ist respondent’s facility.”

Michael, however, corroborated that during the course of the review, it was discovered that there had been an earlier security breach involving Asabe.

He said this happened in connivance with an ex-officer of the commission, wherein Asabe was smuggled into the commission’s facilities after official visiting hours.

“That the act of Aichatou Asabe and the ex-officer of the 1st respondent breached the Ist respondent’s security access protocol.

“That the officer found liable in smuggling Aichatou Asabe into the 1st respondent’s detention facility has been dismissed from the service of the 1st and 2nd respondents.

“That I depose to this affidavit in good faith and believing same to be true in accordance with the provision of the Oath’s Act and Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004,” (NAN)

A disunited Nigeria requires a unifying leader, Obi tells Nigerians

*Urges electorates to defend their votes at polls

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi has called on Nigerians to place the country’s unity first and vote for a candidate capable of bringing the nation together.

Obi stated that a nation divided cannot achieve substantial developmental progress, emphasizing the importance of electing a leader who can unite its people.

The NDC flagbearer said that citizens who wish to elect their preferred leader must commit to protecting their votes and staying at polling units until the ballots are counted during the 2027 presidential election.

At a global digital town hall streamed through Zoom, YouTube, and other social media platforms, he addressed Nigerians at home and abroad about voter mobilization, election security, and measures to safeguard the electoral process.

Obi also urged his supporters to mobilize voters and ensure that polling agents are deployed throughout the country.

“Our country needs unity. At present, we are not united. We are divided along ethnic and religious lines, yet, to the best of my knowledge, no tribe buys bread at a lower price, and no tribe buys fuel at a lower price. Similarly, no religion buys bread or fuel at a lower price.

The poverty affecting our country today is widespread across the entire nation.

No tribe enjoys greater security than another. Insecurity affects every part of the country. This is the same point I have consistently made.

“He said the country needed a president capable of bringing Nigerians together and working relentlessly to ensure national security. The former Anambra State governor made the remarks during the virtual gathering, which was streamed live on Sunday evening.

Obi stated that Nigerians must remain engaged and demand that every vote be counted.

The former governor said his campaign was focused on expanding its network of polling agents and working with other political parties to support free, fair, and credible elections.

He also warned Nigerians not to let money or intimidation determine their electoral decisions, maintaining that either could jeopardize their future.

“If you accept money from them, that is money they would otherwise have spent on security, hospitals, and education,” he said.

Obi further urged stronger measures to address insecurity, calling on security agencies to receive the logistics and support required to protect Nigerians.

“We have security agencies, and they must function effectively. We must provide them with the logistics they need to perform their duties and ensure that we stand by them. We must make certain that they are properly equipped and that their families are cared for if anything happens to them or they become unavailable. We need a president who will lead from the front,” he said.

On election day, Obi called on voters to stay at their polling units after voting until the ballots had been counted, emphasizing that citizens must actively participate in the process.

The Digital Global townhall is part of Obi’s mobilization efforts ahead of the 2027 election, with protecting votes and encouraging grassroots participation serving as key themes of the engagement.

Kebbi Govt commends Army Headquarters for establishing 3 strategic formations in the state

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2027: Dickson engages NDC-UK leadership as group reaffirms commitment to party

The leadership of the United Kingdom chapter of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to the growth and expansion of the party following a meeting with the party’s National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, in London.

The NDC-UK Executive Committee paid a courtesy visit to Dickson at the London Park Lane Hilton Hotel on Saturday, where members of the chapter and representatives of the Nigerian community from across Great Britain and Ireland interacted with the former Bayelsa State governor.

The meeting provided an opportunity for Dickson to brief party members and supporters on developments within the NDC, the party’s activities since its formation and preparations for the forthcoming general election.

Dickson was in London while returning to Nigeria from the Netherlands, where he had inaugurated the NDC Netherlands Chapter.

During the interaction, the NDC National Leader expressed confidence in the party’s leadership and presidential ticket, according to a statement issued by the NDC-UK Publicity Secretary, Boniokoye Imegwu.

He also urged institutions and officials responsible for conducting elections to uphold integrity, fairness, responsibility and patriotism throughout the electoral process.

The NDC-UK Country Chairman, Princewill Urum, thanked Dickson for his leadership and reaffirmed the chapter’s commitment to advancing the objectives and programmes of the party.

Urum said the UK chapter remained committed to supporting the party’s activities and strengthening its presence among Nigerians in the diaspora.

Also present at the meeting was the leader of the Coalition for the Protection of Democracy (COPDEM), a Nigerian and global political network.

The COPDEM leader commended what he described as the direction and progress of the NDC, adding that the organisation would deploy its available resources and personnel in support of initiatives aimed at promoting democratic participation and a credible electoral process in Nigeria.

Dickson also disclosed plans to return to the United Kingdom later in the year with the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and other senior party officials for the formal launch of the NDC-UK Chapter.

The planned visit, according to Dickson, would provide an opportunity for the party’s leadership to formally engage with its UK chapter and supporters as preparations for the forthcoming election intensify.

The meeting ended on a convivial note, with participants expressing renewed commitment to the expansion of the NDC and its forthcoming electoral activities

Where is Nigeria’s President? Peter Obi asks

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has joined the rest of concerned Nigerians in asking for the whereabouts of President Bola Tinubu.

The President began a three-week working vacation in Europe on August 30, 2026, as part of his annual leave, according to an official statement from the State House, but has continued to shift his resumption date ever since and has not attended to very crucial national and international issues.

After watching the eloquent and remarkable address of Ghana’s President, John Dramani Mahama, at the 81st UNGA in New York, United States, an obviously concerned Obi raised the vital question on his X handle page this Sunday morning: ‘Where is Nigeria’s President?’
Writing on his X handle, Obi said, “Here is the remarkable address delivered by Ghana’s dynamic President, John Dramani Mahama, at the 81st UNGA. As the international community commends this distinguished leader, many are asking: Where is the President of Africa’s most populous nation, a country of more than 200 million people—more than Ghana—whose leader has been absent from the global stage for three consecutive UNGAs?

“Nigeria’s President, who ought to be representing and guiding the continent at the international level, has not attended any of these three global gatherings.
“Where is he, particularly at a time when the country faces significant challenges both domestically and internationally?

“Although our Vice President, Kashim Shettima, was present, the question remains: where is the President? “Let us continue to pray for his return and for his leadership in addressing the many challenges confronting the nation, but let us hope that a New Nigeria is possible and will be O-K.”

Bill Gates backs regulations as concerns grow over AI risks

Bill Gates backs regulation as concerns grow over AI risks

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has warned that artificial intelligence has become powerful enough to contribute to events capable of causing as many as one billion deaths, renewing calls for stronger government oversight of rapidly advancing AI systems.

Gates made the remarks during an interview with NBC News’ Meet the Press while discussing the risks posed by increasingly capable artificial intelligence and the possibility of such technology being exploited by people with malicious intent.

Asked whether AI could become powerful enough to threaten humanity, Gates stopped short of predicting human extinction but said the technology could enable consequences on an extraordinary scale.

“AI is certainly powerful enough to drive events that cause a billion deaths,” Gates said.

He argued that one of the biggest dangers lies in combining advanced AI capabilities with individuals or organisations seeking to cause harm.

“There’s never been a weapon as powerful as the combination of people with ill intent using the latest AI tools,” he said.

Gates said the scale of the potential risks means AI companies should not be left to regulate themselves.

“No one thinks self-regulation is enough,” he said, adding that governments, law-enforcement agencies and political leaders must become directly involved in establishing safeguards and monitoring systems.

According to him, mandatory regulation would impose some additional obligations on technology companies but should not significantly slow innovation.

“It will be a little bit of overhead for the industry, but not a dramatic slowing of what they’re doing,” Gates said.

His warning comes as concerns intensify among technology executives, governments and researchers over the pace at which advanced AI models are becoming more capable.

Earlier in September, Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei called for companies developing frontier AI systems to slow the pace at which their models become more powerful. He warned that commercial competition could push companies towards increasingly capable systems before adequate safeguards are in place.

The debate has increasingly shifted from voluntary commitments by technology companies towards government regulation.

In July, US lawmakers Nathaniel Moran and Ted Lieu introduced the proposed AI Kill Switch Act, which would provide federal authorities with a framework for ordering the shutdown of artificial intelligence systems considered a serious threat to public safety. The proposal would also require companies to report major AI-related incidents to the government.

The legislation followed growing concern about the autonomous capabilities of advanced AI systems, particularly in cybersecurity, financial transactions and other areas where AI agents can increasingly perform actions rather than simply generate information.

Warnings have also come from the United Nations and other international institutions, which have called for greater cooperation among governments as AI capabilities advance faster than many existing regulatory systems can respond.

Gates’ intervention adds one of the technology industry’s most prominent voices to the growing argument that the potential benefits of artificial intelligence must be accompanied by enforceable safeguards against misuse.

The debate is increasingly centred not on whether AI should continue to develop, but on what controls governments and companies should establish before increasingly autonomous systems acquire capabilities that could be difficult to contain.
Culled from Newsscroll.

Obi clarifies Anambra debt issues, urges govs not to impede candidates’ campaigns

The Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi has sealed the arguments on the Anambra State debt question needlessly generated by Governor Charles Soludo.

In a lengthy explanation on his X handle this morning, Obi admonished the state governors to allow democracy to thrive in their states.
According to him, “I have remained silent over the past few days because I have been grieving the loss of my beloved brother and friend, Chief Okey Ezeibe.

“However, the time has come for me to address some of the matters that have occupied public discussion in recent days.

“I respectfully urge everyone to concentrate on the existential challenges confronting Nigeria and the hardships endured by its citizens, rather than on the needless distractions that have become widespread in our politics.

“I wish to assure the public that I have no disagreement with my dear elder brother, Governor Soludo, or with any governor in Nigeria. I am not seeking the office of governor in any state, and I will not seek that position again, even if the Constitution is amended.”

The former Governor of Anambra state then appealed to governors to “support whichever presidential candidate they choose while also permitting and assisting other presidential candidates and contenders for other offices to campaign freely and without interruption in their states.

“Ultimately, voters should be allowed to determine whom they wish to serve them.

“Regarding the multilateral funding inaccurately described as “debt owed by Peter Obi” in Anambra State, I wish to state unequivocally:

“As Governor of Anambra State, I did not approach any financial institution to borrow funds or issue a bond on behalf of the state. Indeed, at his farewell ceremony, the then Director-General of the DMO, Abraham Nwankwo, appointed me chairman and declared that, during his 10 years in office, I was the only state governor who had not approached him for a loan facility.

“When I left office, the Anambra State Government owed no unpaid salaries, gratuities, or pensions. Neither did it owe any contractor or supplier who had completed work that the government had verified and certified.

“Regarding development financing from the World Bank, these are concessionary development-support funds secured by the Federal Government for states selected by it to address specific needs. Repayment is spread over 25 to 30 years.

“The Anambra State Government must therefore differentiate among three separate figures: the total amount approved for the multiyear development program; the amount Anambra State actually drew during my tenure; and the funding balance outstanding when I handed over on 17 March 2014.

“The government has combined these distinct categories, added them together, and described the resulting US$123.77 million as “loans left by Peter Obi.” That is an incorrect application of public-sector accounting.

“The eight facilities identified were primarily World Bank and IFAD development programs negotiated by the Federal Government, with participating states receiving access to the funds through subsidiary arrangements. They were not conventional commercial loans that I personally secured during my tenure.

“This does not suggest that Anambra had no repayment responsibilities; rather, each facility must be examined in light of its approval, effectiveness, drawdown, and repayment record.

“The clearest contradiction appears in the government’s own figures. It states that the original facilities amounted to approximately US$123.77 million and that US$92.35 million remained outstanding in June 2026.

“However, the DMO’s published records showed Anambra’s total external debt at approximately US$18 million when I began my tenure in March 2006, about US$30 million in March 2014, when I left office, and approximately US$45.15 million as of 31 December 2014, nine months after my departure.

“The Anambra State Government must therefore clarify how a state whose recorded external debt was about US$30 million in March 2014 and US$45.15 million in December 2014 could supposedly have inherited US$123.77 million from Peter Obi, who left office in March of that same year.

“On the day I left office, I left more than US$150 million as the dollar component of my investment in Anambra State as governor.

“I hereby provide documents that can be verified with the various banks. Had it remained untouched, this investment was expected to provide Anambra State with approximately US$10 million in annual income.

“Even if their assertion were accurate—which it is not—that Anambra owed US$123 million, the government could have used the US$10 million generated annually from my savings to reduce the debt. It has now been 13 years since I left office, which would amount to US$130 million. The debt should have been fully settled by now.

“Had they retained the funds I left in the bank, including the compound interest on the principal and the additional income, the total would be approximately US$335 million today.

“If they had chosen to repay the US$92.35 million funding, the entire amount would have been covered, leaving approximately US$242 million to be reinvested. That sum would have generated about US$20 million annually for Anambra State.

“Let me reiterate that, when I left office, I left Anambra State in a strong financial position—the strongest of any state in Nigeria—and I stand by that position.

“Through this clarification, I wish to state categorically that I will neither engage nor trade words with anyone regarding my tenure in Anambra State.

“My focus will now be on issues affecting the suffering Nigerian masses, which is the reason for my presidential ambition,” the statement concluded