₦airaland Forum

UYO – In a dramatic turn of events during a town hall meeting in Ikot Abasi, Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State announced his intention to defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC)—but was met with resounding opposition from the crowd.

Speaking at the Town Square Meeting with the Ikot Abasi Federal Constituency on Wednesday, the governor said he had conducted extensive consultations and was convinced that “it is time to move” in order to align the state with the ruling party at the federal level.

“We’re progressively moving forward, linking Akwa Ibom to the center. And I know you’re going with us. Are you going with us, so we can connect to the center?” Eno asked.


However, in response to the governor’s call, a thunderous “No!” erupted from the audience, overshadowing the handful of “Yes” voices, creating a tense atmosphere in the crowded venue at the Ikot Abasi Local Government Grounds.

Despite the pushback, Governor Eno continued to make the case for defection, citing the need for Akwa Ibom to “belong and be counted” in national politics, and to support President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“We thank you for your support. I’ve gone round to consult… And so we have done enough consultation. The time has come that we will move. And we will go to where God is leading us,” the governor said.

“Do not be afraid. Believe in us. Believe in President Bola Tinubu because the future is bright. We are already a minority state in Nigeria. If we come again and start breaking ourselves into pieces, we become minority of the minorities and cannot get anything.”

He emphasized the importance of unity across party lines and declared that Tinubu, Akpabio, and himself must return to office in 2027.


Governor Eno’s comments mark a significant political shift in Akwa Ibom State and have sparked heated reactions, suggesting the road to realignment may not be as smooth as anticipated.

helinues:
The 750km road should take nothing less than 20 years to be completed

To start with, the funds to complete the 30km wasn't even fully available as at the time of making the proposal.

The 30km would have been completed within a year if there was enough funding

Secondly, building a coastal highway would require clearing of the road, demolishing of buildings, relocating of people and compensation. All those must be fully settle before the full projects can be executed.

The 30km completion would attract investors or allow Nigeria to borrow money for the remaining KM

madridguy:
Say chiiiiii

The Peoples Democratic Party has declared that the outcome of its 99th National Executive Committee meeting demonstrates a renewed unity among its leaders aimed at repositioning the party.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated that the 2027 presidential election will serve as a referendum on the failures of the All Progressives Congress-led administration, emphasising that defections will not be enough to save President Bola Tinubu.

He stated, “The 99th National Executive Committee meeting of our party was duly convened on the 27th of May, 2025. Prior to that, there were so many activities relating to that meeting, and there were naysayers, it would not hold, it would hold—but ultimately, it held.

“It signposts the resilience, the capacity, and the orderliness for which the PDP is known, its capacities to activate, at the appropriate time, its organs and, in line with its constitution, to look at the processes and ensure that the will of the party continues to move smoothly.

“We had challenges, no doubt, but the successful convening of the meeting and the fact that the atmosphere at the meeting came out to show the capacity of this party to come together and be unified. So, we are united.”

Ologunagba said the 2027 election will be a referendum on the APC’s failures, including insecurity and lack of basic amenities.

He added, “We have witnessed a lot of issues, from defection or no defection. We must emphasise that the election of 2027 is not going to be about defection.

“It’s going to be a referendum on the failure of the APC, the insecurity in the land, the lack of provision of amenities, and basic things for human existence, the fact that everyday Nigerians are losing their personality because of the misguided policies of the president.”

The party criticised Tinubu’s administration for its anti-people policies and emphasised the need for the PDP to unite around a common purpose.

He stated, “We have stated severally the need for a review of policy by a government, what the people are saying, you take a second look. When you do that, that is leadership, that is strength, not weakness. But the APC believes that when they make a decision, you either take it or leave it.

“People are complaining that they are dying by instalment. That life is coming to a halt, and the President and his team and his government are numb to that. In the last two years, over 600 Nigerians have been killed, it’s on record.

“Then you see this government, celebrating defection as if it’s celebrating a successful implementation of policies. So it’s a government that believes in propaganda. Propaganda does not replace hunger. Propaganda does not replace the commitment of the people and their belief in their God.

“The question that every Nigerian is asking today: Am I better two years ago than I am right now? The answer is obvious, and we are all in the same market.

“You could talk about money, about devaluation, which renders whatever you are earning, and takes you below the poverty line. Today, by world record, or by world reports, over 100 million Nigerians survive on $2 a day.”

Ologunagba disclosed that the PDP leaders are continuing discussions to resolve remaining outstanding issues.

He continued, “That’s why it is important for our party to come together, which we are doing. We’re having conversations at different levels, and the next outcome is a demonstration of the success of those actions behind the scenes.

“So we just want to let you know that we’re on course, working assiduously towards a successful national executive, national working committee, and the national convention that will produce a new working committee for the party. And we’re determined to galvanise Nigeria on the need to sustain this democracy. So that’s the conversation, and then alternative views and ideas can be put on the table for Nigerian people to determine.”

Warrior99:
For anyone who's discerning, Obi's political career is DEAD IN THE WATER!

He will NEVER amount to anything politically outside Iboland ✍🏾

Nbotee:
Who conducted the forensics?

The Federal High Court in Abuja has been asked to restrain the 2007 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Patrick Okedinachi Utomi (also known as Prof. Pat Utomi) from further making public comments or engaging in rallies in relation to the subject of a suit pending against him over his announced plan to establish a shadow government in the country.

The request is contained in a fresh application filed before the court on Wednesday by the State Security Service, SSS, following reports that Utomi, who is said to be currently abroad, has planned to engage in protests, road shows, media interviews and related activities upon his return to the country on June 6.

The application seeks mainly, “an order of interlocutory injunction, restraining the defendant/respondent (Utomi), his agents, privies, associates, servants, workers or any person acting through him from staging road shows, rallies, public lectures or any form of public gathering, newspaper publications, television programs, jingles or any other public enlightenment programme (s) aimed at sensitizing, instigating, propagating or in any way promoting the purported “shadow government/shadow cabinet” or its objectives or goals with the view to establishing the said “shadow government” pending the hearing and determination of this substantive suit.”

The grounds for the application, according to the SSS’ legal team, led by Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), includes that, if not restrained, Utomi’s proposed rallies, road shows and actions “constitute a serious threat to public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. ”

The SSS added that as the agency statutorily empowered to safeguard the internal security of the country and prevent any threats to the lawful authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its constituent institutions, it was incumbent on it to forestall any threat to public order, safety and national unity.

It stated that before it filed the substantive suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025, Utomi had, through public statements, social media and other platforms engaged in statements and actions aimed at undermining the outcome of the case now pending before the court, and which he is aware of.

The SSS said it gathered through monitoring and intelligence reports that Utomi, who is currently out of the country and is due to return on June 6 plans “to stage road shows and rallies under the guise of freedom of speech and association in a bid to cause public discontent in furtherance of his establishment of the purported ‘shadow government/shadow cabinet.’

The plaintiff added, in a supporting affidavit, that Utomi’s intention “is to stage road shows and rallies that are capable of drawing a large number of Nigerians with intent that will cause huge disruption of peace, breakdown of public order, enable riots and violent protests just as the recent “End SARS” protests in 2020.

“All the planned protests, riots and agitations that will ensue, if the purported actions of the defendant/respondent are not stayed, may lead to mayhem with a potential for anarchy, toss of lives and property.

“The proposed allies, road shows and actions of the Defendant/Respondent constitute a serious threat to the public order, safety and national unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The SSS stated that on May 26 during the fourth edition of the Topaz Lecture Series, themed “Shadow Government: A Distraction or Necessity”, hosted by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) Mass Communication Class of 1988 Alumni Association, Utomi made statements, capable of undermining the pending suit.

It added that the statements, widely publicized by various national newspapers and on social media platforms, Utomi defended the creation of the purported shadow government and further stated that if the suit succeeds in favour of the SSS, himself and his group shall adopt a different name.

The SSS added that Utomi “has been served with the originating process in this suit and has entered appearance vide his Counsel Prof. Mike Ozekhome (SAN) since 20 May, 2025.

“The defendant/respondent (Utomi) is aware of the pendency of this action before this Honourable Court as he has been served with the originating process in this suit by courier as ordered by this honourable court.

“Unless this honourable court intervenes by granting this application, the defendant/respondent’s acts may foist a fait accompli on the court.

“It is in the interest of justice, national security, and the rule of law for this honourable court to grant this application,” the SSS said.

Speaking shortly after filing the fresh application, DSS’ lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, explained the rationale behind his client’s decision to approach the court.

Kehinde said: “We, as counsel to the SSS have just filed an application seeking interlocutory injunction against the defendant and his group pending the determination of the substantive suit. The application, being a public document can be obtained from the registry of the honourable court.

“It is good that as members of the 4th estate of the realm you are keeping watch over the case filed against the formation of “Shadow Government” by Prof. Pat Utomi and his group.

“The civil suit, as you are aware, was filed by the State Security Service (SSS) in consonance with its statutory mandate of ensuring internal peace and avoidance of any form of insurrection and treasonable felony against the democratically elected government in the country.

“This fresh application is premised on the fact that despite the pendency of the substantive action, the service of same on the defendant and the entry of appearance to same by his Counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, the defendant has continued to make inflammatory statements capable of igniting chaos in the country instead of abiding by the hallowed principle that civilized parties before the court are expected to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive matter.

“What our client has submitted to the court is for the interpretation of the Constitution whether any form of government by whatever nomenclature can be formed or allowed outside the Constitution.

“Furthermore, our client is not interested at arresting anybody in respect of this matter having on its own accord submitted itself to the jurisdiction of the honourable court to interpret the Constitution and determine the legality or otherwise of the ‘Shadow government’ or any other nomenclature that it may be so named.

“It must be pointed out that our client under its current leadership is a very civilized organization with absolute confidence in the rule of law and that is why, it or any of its personnel will always approach the court of law whenever it feels that there is any infraction on its statutory duties by anyone or the rights of its personnel. Let the court have the final say.

The telecom operators in Nigeria, including MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile have threatened to withdraw network support for banks’ Unstructured Supplementary Services Data, USSD, following what they described as gross misinformation of subscribers on the mode of deduction for transaction fees.

USSD, commonly known as ‘bank transfers’, is done through short codes on mobile phones.

Yesterday, the banks issued a notice to their customers that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has directed them to stop deducting charges for USSD transactions directly from customers’ accounts, and that telecoms will now deduct charges from users’ mobile airtime.

The notice from the banks read in part: “In line with the directive of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), please be informed that effective June 3, 2025, charges for USSD banking services will no longer be deducted from your bank account.

“Going forward, these charges will be deducted directly from your mobile airtime balance in accordance with the NCC’s End-User Billing (EUB) model.

“Under this new billing structure, each USSD session will attract a charge of ?6.98 per 120 seconds, which will be billed by your mobile network operator.

“You will receive a consent prompt at the start of each session, and airtime will only be deducted upon your confirmation and availability of the bank to fulfil this service.

“If you do not wish to continue using USSD banking under this new model, you may choose to discontinue use of the USSD channel.”

However, in a swift reaction, the telcos under their umbrella body, the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, ALTON said the banks’ notice is a gross misinformation deliberately hatched to suit their selfish interests. Hence they threatened to withdraw network support to the banks’ USSD services.

Chairman of ALTON Engr Gbenga Adebayo told Vanguard: ” I don’t understand why the banks are twisting agreements and distorting information just to favour their selfish interests. In the first place, the information wasn’t a directive from the NCC but a joint regulatory agreement between the NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN witnessed by the telcos and the banks. The agreement was that if the banks finally cleared all USSD debts owed to the telcos by June 2, 2025, they are free to migrate to the end-user billing method, so long as the model of migration is transparent and agreed upon by the telcos.

“The reason for that clause was because the telcos insisted that the process of migration is such that will not allow a customer to be billed twice; in other words, that a subscriber would not have his airtime deducted and also have his or her money deducted for same services from his or her bank account.

” As we speak, some of the banks have cleared their debts, but the majority are yet to do so. So, even if all the modalities of migrating to end-user billing have been perfectly carried out, the implementation cannot even begin because the banks are yet to clear the USSD debt owed to the telcos.

“Our position now is that if that is the way the banks want to treat the agreement, we may withdraw support for their USSD services. It is not a must-have. They can do without it. But, they should clear the debts as agreed,” he added.

bolaayenimo:
Just muddling things up. So drab

Lanretoye:
but you ipobs will be excluded.

A yet-to-be-identified man has reportedly fallen from one of the upper floors of the 26-storey Cocoa House building in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The incident was said to have occurred in the early hours of Monday.

Odu’a Investment Company Limited, the firm managing Cocoa House, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Tuesday in Ibadan.

The company’s Head of Branding and Communication, Victor Ayetoro, said “The individual involved was swiftly attended to by the emergency response team and taken to the University College Hospital, Ibadan, for urgent medical attention.

The company expresses deep concern over the development and assures the public of its full cooperation with authorities investigating the cause of the fall.”

A witness, speaking anonymously, said “When the incident happened, I initially thought it was a large bird falling from the sky. It was only when the person landed that I realised it was a human being.

I had my phone with me, but I couldn’t even record anything because I was completely shocked.”

Another eyewitness recounted that the victim first struck a roof near the building’s security post before hitting the ground, describing the experience as terrifying.

Kilometres:
💯

By your assertion and admittance Tinubu won the election free and fair.

A man that could not rig Lagos which is his foot stool and Osun his home town...

Ikaeniyan0:
Soludo will win the next governorship election in Anambra state