President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took his re-election campaign to Rivers State over the weekend, where Governor Siminalayi Fubara pledged “not less than three million votes” for him at the Rainbow Coalition rally in Port Harcourt, under the leadership of FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Tinubu thanked Fubara for his maturity and for respecting the elders who intervened in his rift with Wike, telling him he “will not regret” his decision. Critics online insist that the emergency rule that suspended Fubara for six months was undemocratic, and note that Tinubu officially polled just over 231,000 votes in Rivers in 2023.
At the same rally, Tinubu said he is cleaning up a mess created by past leaders, pointing to former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and asking how he built a university while in charge of the economy. Atiku fired back, saying he laid the foundation for ABTI Academy, now the American University of Nigeria, in 1993, the same year he noted a US court ordered the forfeiture of 460,000 dollars from an account in the President’s name. He vowed to be on the ballot and beat Tinubu decisively.
Concurrently, the President and First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu danced to the hit song “Port Harcourt Boy” by Rivers native, Duncan Mighty.
The President’s son, Seyi Tinubu drew attention as members of the pro-Tinubu City Boy Movement waved the movement’s flag across the field.
In Akwa Ibom State, President Tinubu questioned NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s record on Anambra’s erosion crisis at the APC rally in Uyo last week, saying that while he “tamed” the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos, Obi “ran away from erosion.”
Obi responded in an open letter titled “Good Day, Mr President,” hoping the visit would inspire the President to visit the remaining 33 states, and asking what has been done with the 15.8 trillion naira saved from the fuel subsidy removal.
At the same rally, the President announced the approval of the long-awaited Ibom Deep Seaport project after a request by Governor Umo Eno. The project was on the table under President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012 and approved by the Federal Executive Council under President Muhammadu Buhari in 2020, yet there is still no visible construction, no details yet on funding or timelines.
Leaders from across the country, including Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, APC Campaign Council Director-General, Abdulaziz Yari, Governors Monday Okpebholo and Sheriff Oborevwori, and Vice President, Kashim Shettima, attended the rally at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
In Abia State, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu was drowned out by chants of “Peter” over the weekend while urging a crowd in his home Bende Local Government Area to repay Tinubu with their votes for remembering the South-East. The Abia APC says the disruption was planned to embarrass the Deputy Speaker and the President.
In Delta State, former Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege described Saturday’s attack on NDC supporters in Asaba as “brazen terror,” claiming over thirty vehicles were smashed and more than ten supporters injured, and accusing elements in the state government and APC of sponsoring the thugs. The Delta APC denies this.
The state government, through Commissioner, Charles Aniagwu, says the clash left one person dead and four seriously injured and could have been avoided if organisers had heeded police advice to use a designated venue instead of a street march. Police confirmed one death but have not identified the victim, and investigations are ongoing.
Finally, Arise News Director of News, Sumner Shagari Sambo was honoured with the “Media Icons in Nigeria” award by the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists over the weekend, among twenty distinguished media professionals recognised for their contributions to journalism.
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